


The Venomous Duet    (prev. In The Serpent's Web)

by Ulyseen



Category: Hazbin Hotel (Web Series)
Genre: Action, Action & Romance, Alcohol, Anger, Blood and Injury, Cartel, Confessions, Darkness, Dreams, Dreams and Nightmares, Drugs, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Falling In Love, Fear, Fights, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Freedom, Gay, Guns, Hell, Hurt/Comfort, Italian Mafia, M/M, Machines, Madness, Mild Smut, Murder, PentNiss, Trauma, Violence, risk
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-30
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:35:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 20,589
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25607473
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ulyseen/pseuds/Ulyseen
Summary: The story follows a flourish of the relationship of two alike souls, both with very differing personalities and demons; Sir Pentious and Arackniss.The threads of their fate had been tied by a bloody battle and put together by their dreams and desires.There is a long road ahead of them; filled with dangers, betrayals, emotions and personal struggles. Their future is uncertain -as it ever is in hell- yet, with their passion and will, these two are ready to face it!Although, they have to get along first-
Relationships: Arackniss/Sir Pentious (Hazbin Hotel)
Comments: 28
Kudos: 84





	1. The Duel of Akin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> 01.03.21: Whoopsie, looks like I literally re-wrote 75% of this chapter. Corrected a ton of grammar errors, nicely improved the narration, descriptions and dialogues. Hope you enjoy it ^u^

The Pride Ring of hell is mostly populated by the blackened souls of sinners, each one of them possesses their unique spirit and mind. In fact, with each second there are hundreds of fresh ones showing up; it's how that endless cycle of eternal damnation goes. It’s quite charming how constant the inflow of those unique souls can be. Every single one of them has their own experiences, values, fears and dreams; all with different struggles and triumphs awaiting in the future. 

The lust for power and satisfying the burning hunger within is just as common as dirt here in hell. Umpteen souls are stuck in that endless chase -as some may call it- trying to prove that their name shall not be forgotten. They dream big and are willing to throw themselves at the deep end in their _attempt_ of overcoming the fear of losing all they ever had -including their own souls- just to taste the bliss opportunities this ungodly place charms their covetous minds with.

As the question of what they truly desire arises, most will come up with a seemingly trivial “more”. Unaware of what lies beyond their sight, beyond their limited comprehension. Their greed, envy and impatience can only lead to their eventual downfall. 

There aren't many who see that as something more than just a rapturous answer to the call of their lust, those exceptional souls are the ones who dream by day, the bright minds. Ready to face all that awaits them and spread their wings when given the chance. They are those who despite inhabiting this ungodly place for decades, are still pursuing the answer. Those who can make a difference.

One of the kind was a particular scientist and engineer, just as ambitious as silly he seemed. Someone who supposedly had the talent and ambitions to reign supreme over the majority of his foes, yet, there was something that held him back, something lurking deep inside his greatly scarred heart- a remnant of his humanity. Sir Pentious -as he prefers to be called- is a demon who, despite the cruel past that followed his every step, never ceased to persist and search for the answer to that burning question, as well as the way to ensure his name will not be forgotten.

  
Hell is at no time a quiet place, and the Pentagram city is quite an accurate instance. There are always some events taking place, it may be overwhelming from time to time. From endless cars, honking in traffic, rushing to work, from endless words coming from digital billboards all around this overcrowded city, and from the loud music flowing from countless nightclubs; the most recognizable are the sounds of conflict. Something one has to get used to in order to lead a ‘life’ here. From all the gunshots and screams, the most glaring of them is the sound of explosions causing the ground-shaking roar of rubble falling down the already-run-down buildings.

Such noise could be heard on the day when two akin souls met. Unaware of the future that awaited them.

A colossal machine fired its cutting-edge guns and cannons as it stepped deeper into the turf it craved to take. The sound of plasma cartridges hitting the ground as the concrete-melting shots fired had nearly muffled the machine’s strides. With each ear-splitting explosion came a devastating shockwave, causing nearby windows to shatter and affected demons’ bones to break.

A monstrosity, traveling on two backward-bending legs, seemingly too heavy to even stand. Its sides and shoulders fully armed and ready to wreak havoc, its plasma cannons and rocket launchers had fired almost constantly. An intimidating beast with an enormous electromagnetic railgun on its top, with enough firepower to destroy an entire building in seconds. 

The mafia members tried their best to push back the attack and defend their territory from the raiders, yet, their chances were tumbling down with every minute. The colossal cockpit on the top contained the maniacally laughing serpent and his soft-boiled army of egg demons.

Taking over a certain territory in hell usually means taking control over the businesses and goods located there; thus the fights over the most alluring ones are not rare, especially after cleanses. The turf both sides fought over at that moment was filled with factories and warehouses; all treasured by the mob. The attempts of taking down the assailant with the fire of the mafia's machine guns and grenades had proved to be aimless; such hopeless efforts resulted in low morale, which caused many mob members to flee from the battlefield. The attack was planned nearly flawlessly by Sir Pentious, seemingly nothing could have stopped him at that point.

As the machine stepped closer to the mafia's main hideout of that turf, the roar of the battle could be heard from miles away. The ground shook as Sir Pentious' creation struck resiliently and ferociously every demon standing in its way. The scientist took in the view of many mob members fleeing from his might, he felt unstoppable. Focused on the objective, he paid little to none attention to a certain observer; standing from a side and watching carefully the assailant stepping deeper into their organization’s territory.

A slick, black figure stood on the highest balcony of one of the buildings. Wielding a large-caliber, stylish sniper rifle in his four hands; golden engravings all over the weapon clearly showed just how familiar the marksman was with it. Watching precisely every single step of the machine; he knew he can’t waste his chance by revealing his position. He only had one shot. Yet, the limited vision at the cockpit had prevented him from taking down the fiend as he was ordered to. Instead, he decided to recognize the weak spots and think of a different plan. After taking a deep breath, a static noise of his intercom had disturbed his focused mind. He was being called.

“Niss! Are you there for fucks’ sake?” The deep voice said, the stern tone made Arackniss clench his fist from hatred. 

“Read ya, boss. Loud ‘n clear!” The sniper grumbled, moving his head away from the scope. Hearing the tone of his boss made him roll his eyes around from annoyance as his teeth doubled up.

“What’s takin’ you so goddamn long! We can’t allow that scaly fuck to mock us like that!”

“Get wit’ it, boss, I can’t take this bloody shot! Not yet. I ain’t seein’ shit!”

“I fuckin’ knew you’re the wrong man for this job!”

“I’ll do ma’ best…” Arackniss tried to answer calmly, yet the voice escaping through his clenched teeth gave his annoyance away.

“Stuff it! Get back here you useless scamp! If you can’t even handle this bloody job then-”

Niss didn’t bother to answer and muted his intercom. The rage he felt was immense, he knew what he was capable of; only he had a chance to take down the adversary. He won’t allow his clueless boss to take away his moment. Not again. Not him.

“Are you fuckin’ deaf or somethin? Answe-”

At that moment the intercom was thrown out of the balcony. Arackinss couldn’t stand it, the relationship with his boss… his father, was tenser than ever for the past few weeks. He knew he was the right man for this job. He only needed a moment of peace to focus and see through it. 

He drew the scope to his eyes once again and took a deep inhale. As the air left his lungs and heart began to beat slowly, the scope stabilized and he proceeded with planning.

The machine’s movements were suspicious from the very beginning of his observation. The rickety steps were clearly caused by the enormous mass of all the weaponry its two legs had to carry, followed by a kind of constructional mistake.

Arackniss -despite being no engineer- was clever enough to realize that something was off with the machine, he anticipated the center of the machine’s mass being out of place. That gave him an impeccable idea of defeating the foe, yet, he had no tools to carry his plan out. He began his search after abandoning his position.

At that moment Sir Pentious had already thrown a party inside the cockpit. He felt overly joyous after witnessing nearly all of the fighters had fled from his might. His egg demons army was commemorating him, giving a feeling of domination and having the world in his grasp. 

Yet, inside, he felt rather relieved than victorious. His plan was supposedly working as intended, however, it was just another turf to take, just another coin to earn, nothing else. Nonetheless, he wasn’t complaining. After all, he would have been able to indulge his passion to a greater degree afterwards, because of all the funds he was about to get. Although, in the long run, it was all hollow. Still, something was missing in his life, while the eerie shadows of his past couldn’t leave him alone.

The gang’s hideout became clearly visible after some time. However, Sir Pentious had no intention of razing it to the ground. The damage done to the area around had already been massively reducing the profit of taking over it. Burning down such a luxurious building would have been a total waste. 

In the snake demon’s eyes, taking over it at that point was _seemingly_ a simplicity. Mafia members had no chances of fighting back against such a machine in any convenient way, most of them had fled. The raiders could nearly taste the victory.

Yet all of sudden, a hefty, ironclad truck had emerged from behind one of the buildings, nearly falling over due to its furious speed as it took a bend. That was Arackniss’ plan, to defeat the foe by knocking the machine down via striking one of its legs with enough velocity. The creation already had problems with retaining its stability to begin with. Arackniss was drunk on pride at that moment, feeling full of himself; after all, no one even had a glimpse of his idea. 

He was ready to jump out of a furiously driving truck; that was supposed to be his glorious moment.

His vehicle had been spotted by the invader after a short moment. The concerned snake demon had pulled the direction-lever as quickly as he could. Sadly for him, turning such a gigantic body would take far too long to face the truck at a proper time; the machine only managed to use its rocket launchers a few times, as they were the most agile to rotate. 

Yet, every missile fired had missed the truck as the spider demon drove it with focus and composure, swiftly dodging each explosion. Many pieces of rubble lying on the streets were no facilitation, although the distance between the two demons kept closing.

Shortly before the final action, Arackniss took a deep breath, he felt as if the time had slowed down. The only sound going through his head was the haste beating of his heart. He had swiftly opened the door and -still holding the wheel- graciously peeked from the frame as his hair was blowing in the sturdy wind. 

Arackniss noticed the serpent’s red eyes glancing from behind the glass. The spider smiled widely as he had mockingly settled his eyes on the foe. Feeling victorious, he had directed the truck to the incline created by one of the explosions. Aiming precisely at one of the machine’s knees. After making sure of the proper trajectory he had riskily jumped out of the truck.

The force of the wind went through his body. Arackniss had covered his head with four of his arms to alleviate the fall; an endeavor to reduce serious injury. After a second, he felt the powerful impact. From all the abrasions and smashes, the injury sensed the most was the gigantic pain in his left leg, broken. Rolling on the ground with great speed, despite the pain, he had only thought about his impeccable plan with pure gratification. 

As he staggered on the ground he managed to hear a loud clang of metals striking each other. He couldn’t neglect the feeling of ease that his plan worked, after all, hanging upon his boss’ call the way he did would have been a tremendous mistake without the satisfying result. 

Deep inside, Arackniss wanted to live a life of his own choosing, yet, he lacked the courage to stand up to his boss- his father. The craving of freedom and independence had been constantly muffled by pain and loneliness. There was seemingly nothing left for him but pulling the trigger when he was ordered to and smoking a pack of cigarettes a day. Despite the luxuries he was awarded with for his evil deeds were something many could envy, they held no significance to him. He was a slave. Whether dressed in a fancy suit or not. 

Having its weakness exploited, the metal monster danced in place, trying to retain stability. Its right leg had nearly broken off after the impact, leaving its weight and height to do the rest. Sir Pentious tried his best to do anything, even though he knew his attempts were futile; the damage done by the unknown demon was far too great. It angered him dearly that his plan was destined to fail. 

As he flew around the cockpit, a deep frown had touched his lips as he glanced at his frangible army of egg demons being destroyed, no chances of coming up with anything useful. He lost. Again.

Arackniss began to laugh vigorously seeing the serpent trying his best and still failing. He found it satisfying to watch his enemy lose when he was the one striking the final blow.

As the creation had ultimately failed, it fell on the ground with a great force and at full blast. The street had gained another gigantic whole to add to its already-grand collection. The glass of the cockpit had shattered as the machine nearly exploded. Many fires emerged from the inside, as the power source had been badly damaged. All was beyond repair. 

However, all the fire didn’t stop the snake demon from emerging. With glaring red eyes and extended hood, the serpent’s fury became clear. Seeing the dark spider, an irritated hiss left his throat.

“You! Do you have any idea how long it took me to build this? You incompetent fool!” the serpent snapped, clenching his fists and demonstrating his razor-sharp fangs.

"Fuck off, ya scaly twit,” Arackniss shouted through cleaned teeth, hiding his pain, “Ahhh! Fuck!” he said with a shaky breath, holding his crushed ribs. “We’re here foreva anyway, ya cocky fuck!"

"Oh… Well… You are such a louse, sir. Are you aware of that?” the serpent answered, making Arackniss roll his eyes. 

“Mean." Sir Pentious added, almost to himself.

If not the severe pain he felt, Niss would have begun chuckling. He grinned instead. 

_Pfft, I can already tell he’s a fuckin dimwit!_ He thought. 

Suddenly he paused, gazing at the defeated serpent who was examining his losses. A different thought had swarmed his mind.

 _Hold up… a fuckin’ idiot wouldn’t build that bloody thing… right?! Huh. Guess he’s not as dense as I thought._ _  
_ _Eh, fuck it! Gonna push his buttons, this is gonna be a blast... fucking scaly-ass bitch! Hah!_

“Hey! I see that sad fuckin' frown on yer face! That all ya had?” The spider demon teased, “Hah! Not gonna lie, I was hopin’ for a challenge, while I’m boutta bust ma gut seeing yer fribble ass!”

“That’s preposterous!” Sir Pentious hissed, his gaze shooting daggers at Arackniss, “I’m going to… You will regret it!”

“What’s up, ya numskull? Ma pals are already on their way here, yer lucky I'm all black and blue, would have kicked yer ass otherwise!... Betta run, snakey!" Arackniss said, rolling on the ground to comfort his broken leg.

"No way… I’m… I’m taking you with me… as,” he scratched his chin, “... Hah! a hostage! Yes!" He triumphantly continued, pulling out a teaser-like device from his pocket. A peal of lunatic laughter left his throat. 

Before “what?!” could even leave the surprised spider demon’s throat, a horrible pain coursed through his skin as his world went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this chapter!  
> Please, feel free to share in the comments what you think ^u^


	2. The Call Of Freedom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to give a big shout-out to the one who gave me a chance to improve myself and watches over my sad-ass as I write. The one who decided to do for me something so generous that I still can’t believe it, it’s like a dream. I won’t lie, I wanted to just delete my every work and hate myself even more, but they helped me to get a hold of myself, I am so thankful for the opportunity they gave me!  
> To my lovely friend and a marvellous editor- Voluminis <3
> 
> In this chapter, I decided to try something new, and that is the first-person perspective. For clearance, this chapter begins from Niss' point of view. After the horizontal line, the narration goes back to the external narration. I would love to know what you think of it.  
> Have a great time reading! ^u^

_Fuckin hell my head’s killen me...  
Shiet, I can't move. Where am I?  
Cold. Wet. Fuck... wait, is ma suit wet or....sheit! that rusted iron smell, it's ma blood... fuck..._

I could feel a burning pain in my leg and in my side, that was the fucking worst, not to mention I didn't know how long was I unconscious so the wounds' condition was giving me anxiety to top the pain off. Even with my head spinning, I heard the sound of someone in the room. Slithering around. Making me jolt in my seat. I had no idea where I was, but it became quite obvious after the sound of soft hissing made its way to my ears. 

“Oh, you are awake I see! I umm.. Welcome?”

 _The fuck he’s talkin 'bout?_ I thought as confusion flooded my mind. The way he spoke to me... so friendly?! My confusion rose with every second, yet I knew a few motherfuckers who tried to make you feel comfortable with their nice words and comfy atmosphere, just to beat you up till you black out a few moments later. I had to keep my guard up.

“Taking someone hostage has never crossed my mind before, so umm… I have no idea what am I supposed to be doing…”

“You’re one helluva idiot, ain’t ya, Ssssnakey?”   
  
Honestly, the "Ssss" at the end wasn't really intended, but teasing him was a neat little distraction from the pain I felt.

“Hey! That was mean! I’m trying to be courteous towards you!”

“Then why don’t ya take that bloody sack off me?”

“Well… All right!” 

With the sack off my head, I blinked a couple of times. Letting ma eyes adjust to the light as I peered around the room. Clearly it wasn't a typical place you would expect to be interrogated in, I could even feel a soft carpet beneath me, odd. I couldn't stop wondering who the hell was that guy; except for someone who I had certainly managed to piss off.

“...Oh ho! What a fancy fuckin' spot to keep a hostage in, huh?”

“Why of course! To have a class is to be remembered! And I am going to make everyone remember my name!”

“Hah! And that is?”

“You… You have not heard of me?! I am the one all the demons shall fear upon meeting! The mighty creator an-”   
  
The potty way those words had left his throat at that moment. His dramatic, almost theatrical movements. Yup, most likely the room was barely big enough to contain his ego. But I gave no shit about his name in all honesty.

“Ye ye, stuff it, snakey! No one gives a shit! Name’s Arackniss, the one who'd fucked yer ass up, Ha!”

“... Sir Pentious… You are so malign...”

“I’M WHA-... You nailed ma ass! Whatcha expectin, ya rascal!”

I kind of snapped at that moment, I'm not really sure why. I suppose it was caused by the loss of blood, not to mention how damp my soaked-in-blood suit was; irriatiting me even more.

“I am terribly sorry you take it that way, but you are the one who thwarted my glorious plan.”

“Ya fuck with the mafia, ya get fucked harder, simple!”   
  
I couldn't believe I said something so tacky, but who the fuck cares. It was all for show anyway.

“Could you cease that excessive profanity? It’s loathsome.”

“I have no fuckin idea whatcha just said…”   
  
Obviously I had an idea, but it didn't matter. Looking around, I let a grin take over ma face; I decided to see how cocksure that knucklehead was. Always know your possible enemy. _  
_  
“Anyhoo, that ya lab or smth'n there? That's some swell sheit!”

“You… You like it?!”

And that's how I realized how much he craves adoration, or at least that's what I'd thought. The thought of flying the coop in no time made its way to my head. _  
_  
“I mean, just look at it, bloody peachy! Would love to see it up close, would ya mind~”

“Awww, r-really? By all means! Follow me, please!”

 _Wowzie… he’s actually a fuckin smooth brain…_ I pondered. Honestly, I'd thought my words were a tad too cheesy and disingenuous, but I reckon it was good enough for him; luckily for me, of course.  
  
“... Ya mind untyin’ ma ass first? I’m sorta strangled here…”

“Oh, sur-... Wait! You plan on tricking me?”

 _Fuck…_  
“Huh… What threat could such a busted up spider like me pose?”

“I… But… Your hands stay tied!” 

_He ain’t realizin I got six of em!_  
“Deal! Go ahead then, I’m right behind ya.”

* * *

Slowly and achingly, Arackinss stood up. His left leg -much to his surprise- was treated well and put in some kind of a splint. The feeling of confusion couldn't leave his sore head. There was no way for him to get his mind around the fact of being treated that way. Hospitality? Towards the hostage who'd ruined the host’s great plan? It made no sense to him. Despite Niss’ high position in the mob, he saw hell at its best and its darkest; and yet, Sir Pentious didn't seem to fit any image of a demon. Which made him all the more intrigued. 

As they step deeper into the apartment, the scenery of luxury and calmness had changed to a setting of discord. As Niss took a precise look around the place, many unfinished machines danced in his sights, bare blueprints and an overwhelming amount of all kinds of tools lying around the place. It was quite an astonishing experience for him. The serpent’s bragging in the background was muffled by the overwhelming amount of thoughts crossing Niss’ head. He felt amazed by this view, yet, the more he noticed, the stronger the feeling of envy became. To Sir Pentious, that room seemed to be a statement of his strength and influence, yet, Arackniss didn’t see power, he saw determination, he saw independence. Freedom.

Sir Pentious seeing the spider vastly distracted approached him with a light frown and pointed his claw at him.  
“Excuse me, are you paying attention to my words?”

Arackniss quickly snapped his eyes to him.

“Hm? Oh, yea… you were talkin bout yer plans, I guess.” He offered with a quick shrug.

Sir Pentious narrowed his eyes after a second a smirk appeared on his face.

“Indeed I was, great!" He flicked his fingers, "Now, as I was saying, I will make everyone tremble whenever my name is said, I shall rule this impious place!” He clenched his fist above his head in triumph.

The spider demon rolled his eyes in response, as he had heard such empty bragging coming from the serpent for the tenth time. He knew that even he was no stranger to a boastful ego, but he still found it annoying.

“Oh Yea? Well then, what’s the progress so far?” A challenging smirk greeted his lips.

“It's…" he hesitated, unsure what to say "beyond your comprehension..." 

_Ah yes, f'course, mate._ Arackniss bit back the mocking reply. 

As they strooled further, Niss began poundering about different matter. Something quite strange to him.

 _And he’s so right-o with fuckin up over and over again?! No consequences?!_ Niss thought. Despite the pain of hearing the mocking voice in his head whispering "Of course not, he is free after all, unlike you.", he decided to ask the serpent about his success.

"If I may _interrupt_ your fancy. How far has it all brought ya? Kinda posh place you got here, after all.”

“Indeed, it is!” Pent answered with pride filling his voice “As you can see, failure is no hitch when your mind is as bright and evil as mine!” 

_Yea, and off the hook I guess…_ Niss thought as he dismally recalled the moments when he couldn’t speak up nor decide about important matters to him.

“So ya all by yourself in here? No bosses n' shit? Ain’t no one ova yer head?” Niss asked as he creased his brows.

The spider demon was confused and conflicted. His whole life -and afterlife- he was dependent and always had to oblige the orders given by those above him. He always knew about the existence of such a thing as freedom, but before meeting Sir Pentious he had never met anyone who was truly independent, not bound to anyone or anything. Not to mention the surprisingly comfortable life the serpent led. He was free.

Arackniss no longer felt the urge to escape, furthermore, he wanted to get to know the mysterious demon standing in front of him better. He took a few steps closer.

“Oh, pardon me?” The snake demon said with his chest out and arms crossed behind his hips “I am the one you could flawlessly consider an evil genius, a mighty creator! I am doubtlessly a resourceful person, I can take care of myself.” He said as a wide grin took over his lips.

The more Niss heard about it, the more regret and envy took over him. He lived in pain and servitude, not believing it may look better if he takes matters in his own hands… he had tried it once, and the burning memories of that failure couldn't leave his mind even since. He was afraid, conflicted inside. Abandoned. Relationship with his father, his boss, had been tumbling down. Niss’ desire for freedom had strengthened after he was denied to choose an important matter for himself, followed by the betrayal of those he risked his life for. His cleverness and steady aim were precious for the mafia’s operations, but after a while, they became nothing but a burden to him; he was never a son, just a tool. Just a slave. Even his siblings were no longer a part of the mob. He was alone.

 _So he did it all by himself… guess I’m the idiot here… Ah fuck, who the fuck am I lying? I'm much worse than an idiot._ The spider demon thought, anguish flooding his heart. He couldn’t believe how blind he was his whole life, he couldn't believe what fear did to him. 

Arackniss signed and settled his eyes on Sir Pentious. He despised that burning inside him, that envy devouring his mind. He found it so pathetic, childish even. With a rush of adrenaline in his veins, he decided to act maturely and vary his dissent into an aspiration. He could do that. What was there for him to lose anyway?

“Ya may be shinin at creatin stuff, but hell, ya ain’t no stranga to fuck-ups.” The spider demon gloomily answered in a slouched position after a moment of silence “I noticed 'least a few big-league blunders as I was watchin ya.”

Sir Pentious slithered towards Niss, bitter expression piercing the spiders body, as an irritated hiss left his throat. Poised and ready to defend himself, Arackniss took a step back. He wasn’t sure if he angered the snake demon too much.

"You… a few?!” Pent sighed and stepped aside a bit “Huh… Can you even comprehend how back-breaking it is for me to flawlessly execute such gigantic projects by myself?” The snake demon crossed his arms and turned his back to the spider.

Seeing this as a perfect chance, Arackniss dug his fangs into his bottom lips as he thought about joining Pent. But terror had made its way to his heart as he knew it meant that he'd have to face his own family. His father's own power he would be going up against. Lost in his mind about what he's willing to risk for his freedom, Niss' eyes went dark as if his soul had left his body and left nothing but a hollow shell.

A chance of freedom after a whole life of servitude was an irresistible feeling when such an occasion appeared. Nevertheless, thoughts of jumping in at a deep end filled his heart with true fear. He was no coward, but leaving behind his whole life and betraying many powerful demons was a serious decision. Doubts and worries kept constantly crossing his mind, he felt weak and alone. As much as he despises his life, he doesn't know whether he’s strong enough to face the unknown future.

As Sir Pentious peered over his shoulder, he noticed the spider demon with his head down, conflicted inside and regretful. Serpent’s triumphant smirk changed to a pale and rather worried expression. Pent may have been an apathetic and cruel maniac in the heat of a battle, surrounded only by foes, but he was certainly not evil and never lacked empathy when it was needed. Only now he started to realize that their conversation wasn’t filled with spite, but rather awe mixed with aspiration. He wasn’t certain and decided to ask about it.

“Are you… all right Sir... Arackniss? The more we talk the more blue you seem.” The serpent calmly asked with a warm tone.

Arackniss quickly settled his eyes on the host with fury. The last thing he wanted is to appear weak in front of others, especially those he didn't consider friends. He sprang closer. A breath away from the snake demon. Ready to blindly attack in any way he could. 

“You…” 

A rusty tone left Arackniss throat as he stood face to face with the serpent. A thought of being seen as a weakling crossed his mind. Yet, he couldn't find enough courage to continue with his aggression.

After a short moment, Sir Pentious was still staring at him in surprise, frozen. However, seeing the serpent's blush red eyes being filled with both fear and concern, Arackniss knew he couldn't hurt him. Not now.

Furious at himself, he turned and -with all the force left in his weakened body- banged his cuffed hands on the metal table, trying to cause the pain he thought he deserved. As the blueprints fell from the table and hit the floor, silence enveloped the area.

After taking a deep breath, Arackniss let the words tumble from his mouth.

“You know nothin…”

It took a few seconds for Pent to think of an answer. He was both confused and concerned. But something deep inside him told him he should help that demon.

"I am not that oblivious. I am in no position to judge; but clearly, something is going on and whatever it is making you regret your past. However, our past does not define our future, we do.”

“Oh ho! We playin poetry now, how fuckin quaint...”

“I was just trying to be nice...” Sir Pentious sighed before whispering under his breath, “Why it has to be such a flaw in this place is above me…” 

Settling his eyes on the serpent, Arackniss felt a knot slowly tying around his heart, politeness was not common in his life, yet, seeing someone actually caring for him made his cold heart soften a bit. He had seen many demons with an akin attitude, but none of them was genuine, none of them had that odd warmth radiating from them, none of them seemed to be like the one standing in front of him. Despite all the madness devouring Sir Pentious’ mind, despite his demons, despite his scars, he managed to maintain his humanity. That was not something a weak mind would be able to endure.

Taking a deep breath that made his small frame shudder, he ran his fingers through his hair; to give himself a few seconds to figure out what he was going to say.

"Fuck it… two questions.” he said while meeting Sir Pentious eyes “One- yer ass got some fancy machinery, yeah, but could an ovalord be fucked up with it?" Arackniss could barely contain the eagerness that filled his voice, a surpsising change of mood he appriciated.  
With his eyes lighting at his question; Sir Pentious raised an eyebrow as he let his mind mull over the idea.

"I... how could I know that?! I never got into a fight with them,” as Sir Pentious trailed off, scratching his non-existing beard “Although, with my evil genius I anticipate that in case of emergency I could manage. I could destroy everything their names stand for, for that is much worse than demise! Hahaha! Ahh, I’m so evil!" The serpent answered lively as a grin overtook his face.

A wide smile accompanied Niss' face too, The answer was satisfying him as well. There are possible hardships that would come with it but with his mind made up, he’ll let his cleverness become useful.

"Aight, good enough…" 

“What inspired you to ask me that?”

"Well, You've been whinin ‘bout workin alone n shit. And lemme tell ya, you look like someone who could really use a partna..." he quickly said with folded hands.

“Oh! That is a keen idea, sir! Just who may that be? Certainly not one of those egg-heads, I can not withstand them here, they tend to bust everything up…” 

_Why am I not surprised he didn’t realize I meant myself... How fuckin charming…_ The spider thought, rolling his eyes around the place. He had to make up a way to advance their relationship, at that point he was ready to take the first step towards a brighter tomorrow.

“And that leads to my second question... Look, I’m a clever guy, I propose we start workin together from now on. Ya got yer talent, I got ma brains! I have nothing to lose at this point… And just, you know, you could be evil as fuck or smth'n!"

It was a tough decision for Arackniss to make, but he had made his mind up a while ago when it was freedom or a life of servitude to choose. Despite the uncertain future, the howling call to spead his wings was louder than any other thought. He was denied the right to choose his own way of life, he had no choice but to become a traitor; a small price to pay for freedom, he was ready to face the consequences.

He found the idea of joining someone who’s bursting with the same remarkable potential as him quite amusing… while also he found that snake demon rather comforting; Sir Pentious made Arackniss feel listened to and concerned about, these were the feelings he hardly ever got to experience in the past. It made him feel… safe, perhaps even content.

“R-really?” Sir Pentious said warmly, as his eyes pleaded. 

With a genuine smile, Arackniss felt relieved that his offer was accepted and he would have a chance to free himself. He nodded as a wide smile danced on his lips.

“By all means, good sir! I accept it!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this chapter!  
> Please, feel free to share in the comments what you think ^u^


	3. Damn Good Cup Of Tea

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel horrible publishing this chapter after almost a month of silence, and I sincerely apologize to everyone who's been waiting for it. Life happened and it took me much longer to write this one, lack of motivation is not so easy to be dealt with sadly.  
> This chapter is far longer than I wanted it to be and I apologize, but it's just as important as the rest. Wish you all a great time reading! 
> 
> This time I want to give the biggest shout-out yet to my amazing friend and editor- Voluminis  
> Thank you so much for being here for me and doing all that, I appreciate it so much I can't describe it with words <3

The threads of fate were now entwined for these two demons, as once they agreed to be partners there was no turning back. With the air now steady from the tension both demons regained their composure.

Even though this was an improvised deal, both demons knew they had first got to know each other before any plans were made.

With the sound of locks being undone, Arckniss rubbed the feeling back into his wrists. He took a quick look at the split on his leg, patting it a few times to see if it was still in top shape was all he needed to know. He felt a surprising spike of happiness knowing he’ll soon be in his top shape as well. A warm feeling engulfed his chest as he recognised what it was- gratitude; although he would have never acknowledged it. 

Sir Pentious felt an urge to show some more hospitality, after all, he never had a partner before. Despite Pent’s conceit and ego, Arackniss’ proposition meant a lot to him. He felt joy thinking that now there is someone to share his evil plans with. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Sir Pentious let out a clear cough before he started to speak.

“I must admit, that was certainly a draining day,” Sir Pentious said as he broke the silence “I propose a cup of tea to loosen up a bit, good sir.”

Letting a sigh leave his mouth, Arackniss gave a few short nods to Pent as a small, yet thankful smirk took over his face as for once he felt welcome.

“Yer damn right it was. Hmph, neva been keen on tea but oh well, why not.” 

Sir Pentious smiled warmly as he crossed his arms behind his back and slithered towards the living area of his hideout. Arackniss followed him in silence, limping to keep up with him. 

As they got closer to the lounge room the serpent began humming joyously with his eyes closed. At that time Arackniss looked around and imagined just how much work awaits them. Time may not be something the residents of hell pay much attention to -they got plenty of it- however, backbreaking work is never pleasant. Even for a man of devotion such as Arackniss. Yet for now, he only wished to get a grip on his mind.

Moments later, Arackinss took a seat in what seemed to be a stylish lounge room. He took a deep breath as he sunk in the soft armchair. With his head tilted back and eyes closed, he patiently waited for the host to bring him a promised cup of tea. Many doubts kept haunting his mind, yet, he managed to take no notice of them. Composure and steadfastness were the feelings Arackniss held in high regard, as they had helped him to get through the toughest of times.

Opening his eyes seconds later, Arackniss watched as Sir Pentious slithered his way into the room and gently set a gold-lined tray down on the table; making the teacups and jug let out a soft clink. 

In a way, Arackniss felt irritated, or perhaps just nervous. His thoughts -despite being rather calmed down- just couldn’t leave him alone; constantly swarming his mind with their silent whispers. A sign for the spider demon to finally get a hold of himself. Luckily, he rarely had any problem with that, especially when his decision made a sense of pride rush through him.

Taking a deep breath, Arackniss shifted his position; straightening his back as he intertwined his fingers together. Whistling as his eyes landed on the tea set full of golden engravings on its surface.

“That’s some fancy-ass set you got here, snakey.” 

“...Could you cease referring to me as ‘snakey’, please...” as he hissed out the please, Sir Pentious poured the black tea into the cup.

“Aight, chill… Don’t be so sensitive, Sir ‘ultra evil genius inventor’.”

Even though it was a mocking answer, Sir Pentious -in contrast to what the spider anticipated- took it as an actual compliment. With a warm smile directed at the spider, he finished pouring the tea.

“‘Sir Pentious’ is the preferred name, but that was really nice of you, sir!” 

Hearing that, Arackniss covered his face with his palm and chuckling warmly under his breath as he decided not to add any comment.

Letting his lips meet the edge of the cup, he paused for a moment -as he stared at the amber water- before dipping his lips in the liquid. The habit of not trusting any stranger was something he had never grown up from the time he was alive. 

Gruesomely, far too many painful memories were floating over his brain. Some even came from his past life -now taking a form of vaguely remembered flashbacks- as if being perceived through a fog. Every time he was at death’s door, the feeling of shame and disappointment swarmed his mind; deepening his self-hatred. 

With his lips still on the edge, he narrowed his eyes on the serpent. The life Arackniss led was filled with betrayals and dirty tricks -from both his side and others- Subconsciously, he must have been assured whether the drink is safe to take because even though he faced death on a daily basis, he still valued his life.

He suspected nothing after Sir Pentious took a gentle sip, though that didn’t stop Arackniss from feeling ashamed of himself for thinking that Pent would do anything to him. The way his falling short life affected his social interactions is despised dearly. Anytime, upon meeting a trustworthy soul -despite craving to have someone to put his trust in- he couldn’t overcome his fear.

Memories swept into his mind reminding him about the dread lurking deep in his heart. Clenching his fist and shutting his eyes; Arackniss took a deep gulp; Despite the burning heat of the drink, he felt relieved after the liquid went down his throat. The sensation calmed his demons, almost as if he was burning them away.

A small smile taunting his lips, as pride flooded his mind.

“Huh, neva really was into tea but hell, it ain’t so bad.”

“Indeed, and my apologies, although I am obliged to ask where are your matters, good sir?!”

“Oh please, I had more important shit to learn than this british bullshit… 'least I don’t slurp.”

“I see your point, although I’m not asking for much, sir Arackniss. Onl-”

“Ye ye, lift the damn pinky up, I know…” releasing a quick sigh from his lips, he whispers under his breath “ _So be it.._.” 

“Much appreciated!” Sir Pentious joyously said while snapping his fingers.

“Whateva...”

The time flew by slowly and silence swarmed the room. Luckily, that was exactly what both demons craved, a few minutes spent in absolute absence of any sound. 

As the bottom of the cup became visible, Arackniss set the cup down on its saucer. Crossing his legs and leaning against them as his eyes peer over the cup at the serpent. 

“By the way, I must admit, your machines wreck havoc, no doubts. But-”

“Oh! I am pleased to hear that, I’m aware my evil genius surpasses every demon in this malevolent place!” 

“Yea yea, brag as much as ya want, but don’t forget why I’m here to carry your ass”

“I… I doubt you will stumble upon any flaws… but... I won’t mind you taking a look.”

“Good.” 

Taking the last sip of tea, Sir Pentious left the armchair as he cleared his throat before meeting the spider's eyes.

“I presume you are -with all your heart- eager to see my next villainess project!”

“Let’s say,” Arackniss said as he left the armchair “Lead the way.”

Sir Pentious felt delighted as he watched the spider trail behind him to his workshop.

A tightly closed space with no exit was not somewhere Arackniss wanted to be, but if it meant being able to see this man's workshop it would be worth it; after all, it was just an elevator ride. Even as his foot tapped against the ground at the slow descent, by the time they hit the lower floor was enough to make Arackinss let out a deep sigh with the rush of cold air.

With quick blinks to adjust his eyes to the brightness, Arackniss let a gasp leave his throat at the sight in front of him. 

The open area in front of them sent shivers down Arackniss back as he gazed upon it. Four pillars of steel with reptilian scales carved into the walls met his sight, as traces of gold littered the railings with each floor. Bright lights burned into his eyes, as many ventilation ducts took over his hearing. There was clearly a work in progress shown to Arackniss as the lowest level was filled with crates and scrap metal laying about.

Being astonished by the view, Arackniss found it hard not to give off any emotion. Playing the role of someone focused and serious makes him feel rather superior and more in control of his life. Trying to zone out and focusing on getting his head straight, he paused for a moment. Despite all the awe he felt, the amount of work awaiting them was -as he saw then- tremendous.

The biggest flaw dancing in his sights was the creation itself. Mafia’s ears are wide open, and so, Arackniss had some information about the past failures of his new partner. The one his mind floated over at that moment was the one after a recent cleanse; the one when Sir Pentious -getting ahead of himself- lost to one of the overlords after interrupting their meeting which included the princess of hell herself. That, and the view he was facing gave him enough clues to determine Pent’s problems with learning from mistakes. 

“Ya wanna conquer hell in a fuckin blimp?” the spider nearly shouted, “Why would ya try this shit again?”

“Pardon?” 

Arackniss took a deep breath trying to regain his composure so he didn’t lose his temper.

“Look, why yer buildin smth'n that failed da last time? We gonna have to do much better than that… Like honestly, ya expectin a different result or what?” 

“My evil plan was flawless back then! Even The Eggs were commemorating me!” He said while scratching his head “But umm…”

“But fuckin what? First, you lost to that bomb gir-”

“I did not lose to her!” Sir Pentious snapped, indignant.

“Yea, fa sure... “ The spider rolled his eyes around “And then ya tried to bump an ovalord off? With this? Yer more insane than ma ass!”

Sir Pentious crossed his arms and let a soft hiss leave his throat.

“What do you suggest then?” 

Arackniss smirked in retort, feeling arrogantly proud of himself. As much as he wouldn't ever acknowledge it, he loved that feeling; the repressed feeling of being in control and listened to. However, he knows perfectly that before any further plans, safety should go first, even in hell. 

“Oh, there are many ideas in ma mind on how we win this thing, believe me... But hell, no energy to explain them as fa’ now. I’m still tryin to get over the loss of blood, ya know?”

Sir Pentious paused for a moment as if trying to remember something. Shortly after, he took a sharp breath in.

“I’m so sorry, sir. I let that slip from my memory… Yes, your state was poor when I brought you in here.”

“And ya patched me up... just like that? Why?”

“But of course, why wouldn’t I? You seemed like in need of help, the Eggs helped me with your leg as well.”

The spider demon raised his eyebrow, confusion written all over his face. He knew the serpent took good care of him, but now he also knew that there was no other reason behind it than a simple will to help someone in need. He was taken hostage but clearly, Sir Pentious had no idea how to handle that rush decision. At that moment, his mind drifted from gratitude to -as Arackniss would never call it- sympathy. Demons are rather tough, and so, Pent could have just thrown him in a dark room without aiding his broken leg or wounds; not to mention tortures. None of that occurred, much to Arackniss’ surprise.

“Well, thenk-” Pausing his voice, Arackniss bit his lips as he decided against thanking the demon “Neva mind… Ya got any food here? Sorta starvin, you?”

Sir Pentious quickly snapped his concentration to Arackniss’ face, as if he wanted him to finish the first sentence. Shortly after, a sign left the serpents’ lips before he cleared his throat. 

“... Why yes, sounds like a fine idea. In that case, we shall head back to the living area. The Eggs live down here… after recent 'incidents' their number has decreased so I must hire more, but not now perhaps."

“So it's decided. Guess someone like you has a somewhat expensive taste, am I right?”

After these words left Arackniss' throat, an uppish smirk took over Pent's face.

"I believe you may take quite a liking to what your eyes are about to witness! Follow me, please."

With a slow pace, both demons headed towards the lift, not minding the mess around them.

Going up, the downforce exerted on Arackniss made his leg ache in pain, clenching his teeth in pain; his bone still required time to heal. Knowing this, he felt disappointed in himself, despite knowing things couldn’t go differently. The plan which caused it was too chaotic, out of any control, and yet, he couldn’t accept the fact of his fragility; he felt weak.

Stepping out, Arackniss hid his pain behind his closed teeth, acting as if nothing ever happened. Trying to shake that feeling off, he headed straight in the direction of what seemed to be the kitchen; Sir Pentious slithering closely behind him. 

"Aight, the equipment round here looks okish, but let's see the food ya got here"

"What dish do you plan on preparing, sir?"

Niss’ eyes peered over the content of the fridge as the whistle left his lips.

"Seeing how much stuff ya got in here, I guess there are many options to choose from."

"I usually don't prepare food myself as I prefer visiting restaurants. Supposedly, we could go for that but I shall let you choose, as my guest."

"I don't wanna be seen 'round the city yet," Arackniss said while scouring through the kitchen cabinets "No one knows I'm even alive, Imma keep ma head down fa now."

"That's brilliant, sir!... Well, not as brilliant as my genius, but-"

"Ye ye ye, stuff it!" The spider demon interrupted "Aight, I see so much random shiet here… Fuckin hell, can ya even cook?”

“Well… not really… I did not buy any of these ingredients, the Eggs did that for me.”

“I see, well then this will be fuckin entartainin… but I’m starvin so whateva.”

The kitchen itself looked as if it was made for someone who loved to cook. A big island counter in the center that made the rest of the kitchen take up three walls. With state of the art appliances and enough storage to hold all the spices known to man. With dark marble painted on and the same reptilian pattern from the workshop coating the walls.

Not looking at where he was pointing, Arackniss pointed at one of the cabinets as he started to gather ingredients.

“Open that cabinet n’ grab the ziti pasta you have there for whateva damn reason, gonna make a rather easy dish fa now.” 

“Oh… sure!” 

As Sir Pentious settled his gaze on the cabinet, he glided towards it and gently opened. As his eyes widened a fraction after seeing many kinds of pasta he had no idea about; he didn’t buy it after all. Seconds later, his sight flickered to the right label; after grabbing it, he began analyzing the packing. 

At that moment Niss began precisely chopping onions with a knife; despite not being the best cook, he cherished fine food, and so, he was fairly skilled in preparing it. Seeing the confused serpent out of the corner of his eye, he released an annoyed sigh from his lips. 

“That’s the one, stop kickin 'round it... Okay, I would normally go fa somethin more… 'elegant', but I can’t care less at the moment.” 

“So… what are we preparing?”

After pulling out a saucepan and oil, Arackniss turned on the gas stove.

“I was thinkin bout _Ziti al forno,_ or howeva you call it.” He grumbled after pouring oil on the saucepan “The recipe can be eitha complex or simple, but we goin for an easy one.” 

“What am I supposed to do now?” Pent said as he looked scared at the package of pasta.

“Cook the pasta, just remember to add salt to the water. Ya know how to do that, right?”

With a shy smile playing on his lips, Sir Pentious shrugged at the question.

“Fuckin great…” Niss grumbled under his breath, turning off the burner “See that pot? Fill it part way up with water, stick it to the burna’ and add like three pinches of salt, when the water starts boilin throw the pasta in” he explained as simple as he could, pointing at what he was mentioning “Is that simple enough for ya ‘evil genius’?”

“I believe so...” the serpent answered hesitantly. This all seemed to be so strange to him, he had the talent for advanced machines, not for something as non-schematic as cooking. Learning something that held no worth in taking over hell was odd and was not easy for him; because that’s just how his mind works. Nevertheless, he found the activity quite amusing; to break the routine and try something new.

As Sir Pentious poured the water in and let it start to boil; Arackniss turned the burner under the saucepan back on and threw the previously chopped onions into the oil in it; stirring them from time to time.

With a few minutes spent in silence as the sound of sizzling food and boiling water took over their ears; Pent quickly said: “It’s time!” Before, throwing the pasta in with the salt -nearly dropping everything as he did- as for once, he was feeling responsible for properly cooking the pasta. Niss’ eyes narrowed in confusion, and yet, after a second he waved his hand and turned his head away from his loss in interest at the other demon's odd action.

“Now what’s left is easy as fuck.” Arackniss said while stirring garlic and red pepper into the saucepan, “Ya see? Cookin ain't so hard, right? Just gonna gain some experience. Was neva into it, but ma shitty family insisted, cause of tradition or some shit… Huh, the only order I’m glad I listened to…” 

Pausing as he added meat to the saucepan.

“Order you say?... As for your family, who are they?”

A chuckle left Arackniss’ throat as he leaned on the island crossing his arms as he lowered his head.

“Wow, what a fuckin question... If ya still haven’t realized, ma shitty parents -least ma father- are the head of the mob runnin things here and there: drugs, weapons, stolen cargo, broads and the famous extortion of course. Hell seems to be a perfect fuckin place to ‘em...” 

“Oh my! That’s so evil! Must be excellent to work with them! Shall we-” 

“Fuckin' excuse me?” 

With a sharp tone lined with anger, Arackniss started to expand his claws. Digging them into the counter as he glared at the snake demon. Sending a shiver down Sir Pentious' spine. 

The serpent felt fear grab his throat, as he took a deep breath.

“Wh-what seems to be the problem, sir?”

“Problem? Problem!? Oh, the fuckin problem is tha-” with the words stuck in his throat, Arackniss eyes went wide as he realized what he was about to do. “Nothin... it's nothin, just not a fan of ma father...”

Looking over at the spider, Pent watched as he lowered his head. Dragging his hands through his hair, pulling slightly as if to make the memories stop.

“I am...so sorry, i did not intend to anger you, sir-” 

Silence filled the room as Arackniss felt shame from losing his tongue and with a stolen glance he simply dismissed the worried look on the serpents face. Turning back to the saucepan, Arackniss stirred its contents; letting the soon-to-be dish be the only sound heard.

'Uncomfortable' was how Arackniss would call it. Yet, clearing his throat, he threw a pinch of oregano into the saucepan.

“Go check if the pasta is _al dente-_ … check if it’s cooked and still firm when bitten.” the spider said, breaking the silence to clear the air; as he poured the sauce in the boiling pan.

As Sir Pentious lifted the lid, a stream of hot steam met his face. With his face scrunched up in confusion; he lowered his hand to the pasta to taste it when he was stopped by Arackniss’ laughter next to his ear.

“Really? Please, don’t make me bust my gut. Think for once, use a damn fork, not your hands.” Arackniss said as he chuckled lightly.

“Oh, yes! Hehe, that’s a fine idea, good sir!”

Taking a fork out of a drawer, Pent fished out a single strand of pasta. Chewing it for a second to make sure it was cooked. With clear delight painted on his face, Sir Pentious nodded while keeping his eyes trained upon Arackniss.

“Now drain it. The sauce is almost ready as well, so I guess the only part left is baking.” 

After stating that, Arackniss reduced the heat -making sure everything was well stirred; as Sir Pentious unsteadily grabbed the pot with pasta and drained it as gently as he could with a worried face; unsure whether he could handle that task.

“Success, Aha! what am I supposed to do now?” eagerness filled Sir Pentious’ voice after he placed the pot on the island.

“Well well, looks like cooking ain’t so bad, huh? I guess you could prepare a baking dish, and preheat the oven.”

“It’s… very unspecific, may I look into the details of this plan?” Pent anxiously asked; he is a man of science, he requires details to work. After years spent focused on strictly following the plans from detailed schematics and blueprints, he finds it odd to follow such inaccurate instructions. His mind is strong and still eager to evolve, yet first, Sir Pentious has to perceive it himself.

As Arackniss snapped his gaze to the serpent, a sigh left his lips, followed by a roll of his eyes before he let them trail across the kitchen. In order to pick things up, he decided to scorn through the kitchen cabinets in search of the tray. After a moment, his eyes narrowed on a glass dish; a grunt left his throat as he grabbed it.

“That’ll do, now leave that shit and preheat the oven… to like hundred eighty degree celsius. Is that clear enough for ya fancy to do smth'n useful?” 

“Yes, indeed!... Oh! And for clarity: my genius shines bright over everyone in this abyss of agony, that was just a minor inconvenience!”

“Whateva you say, 'genius'. Now do that shit, I’ll take care of the rest, obviously.” he whispered the last part.

With the dish now on the counter Arackniss started to assemble the dish. Putting pasta as the bottom layer and adding on mozzarella, sauce and more mozzarella on top of it. 

A wonderful smell greeted his senses after the deep inhale he took. The dish was almost ready, and with a weak smile he knew how much he maltreated the original recipe, yet it didn’t matter; his hunger was starting to play on his nerves.

Sir Pentious was still wondering whether he followed all the instructions right, but as Arackniss grabbed the glass dish and approached him; he felt as if he did a good job.

“Wow, you fuckin did it.” Niss said dryly “Congrats, now step aside.”

These words brought the serpent joy that spread through him like warmed honey. Hearing such a sentence made him jolt in place, as these words left the month of someone who seemed to be reasonable, not just his always-accommodating army.

Putting the dish inside the oven, Arackniss set the timer to fifteen minutes, before dusting his hands in satisfaction at the end result. A soft sigh left his throat, as he took a look at the clock behind him showing the hour of an early night.

“Damn, took much longer than it should have, but guess it’s okay... Now just gonna starve for twenty more minutes. Meh, been through worse."

"Nevertheless, that was… how do they say it… lit? Yes! Lit!” The serpent joyously said while taking a seat at a stool.

A quick chuckle left Arackniss’ throat upon hearing the word ‘lit’ leave the serpent's mouth. Niss wasn’t someone ahead of his times either, however, he couldn’t help but laugh seeing his partner’s pitiful attempts to speak like the modern generation. It was just hilarious to see someone so old-modish coming out with such a phrase.

"Moving on… well, I’m fuckin done with this day, so ya got any free room or smth’n like th-” he paused all of sudden, throwing the serpent off balance.

“Is something wrong, sir?

A sudden rush of thoughts rampaged through Arackniss’ head, as he bit his lips and slowly approached the window. Peaking around the curtains, he saw nothing suspicious crossing his sight, yet that was no sign for him to relax. Sir Pentious watched with pinched eyebrows at the spider in confusion. 

“You behaviour is rather worr-” 

Sir Pentious couldn’t finish what he was saying, as Arackniss pushed his fingers down Sir Pentious throat. Pinning his tongue to shush him. Keeping his eyes closed, he listened for a few seconds, before letting out a sigh as his suspicions grew.

Feeling a shiver go down his spine when he looked up and saw Sir Pentious wrapping his tongue around his fingers in a suggestive manner. Removing them, Arackniss let out a hushed _fuck_ as he let panic take over features as he spoke to Pent in a hushed voice. 

  
" **Were ya followed?** "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this chapter!  
> Please, feel free to share in the comments what you think ^u^


	4. Mind Whispers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought I could finish this chapter much earlier but the ideas just couldn't stop flowing! I hope I carried them out well, and please feel free to tell me whatcha think, my amazing readers. I would like to apologize for not answering your lovely comments before, I was anxious but please know I read them all and I appreciate them. Now I think I'm more confident about it, feel free to comment and share your thoughts! ^u^  
> I know it's been a while and I also apologize but it's harder to focus on writing or feel inspired lately, but that doesn't mean I quit this fic, not by any means! I have never had so much fun writing! And trust me, all this wouldn't happen if not the most special person I have ever met, who wildly inspires me every day and makes everything so colourful; my beloved soulmate and marvelous editor- Voluminis 💜  
> Have a great time reading! ^u^

Thrown off-balance, Sir Pentious lost hold of his thoughts; unable to answer the question. Shivering off the uncomfortable feeling at his failed flirtatious endeavour, Pent set a deep frown on his face. Snapping back into the real world. 

With a nervous chuckle, Sir Pentious cleared his throat as he managed to spit out the word.

“Followed?... _Followed…_ ” whispering under his breath with knotted fingers, Sir Pentious pondered, “I umm...”

“Are ya fuckin’ wit’ me now?!” snapping, Arackniss slammed his fist against the wall, as he shouted at the serpent for his irresponsible behaviour “Yer trynna tell me that on yer way back, being followed hasn’t even crossed ya damn mind!” 

Sir Pentious’ eyes fell to the floor, as the situation got unpleasant, “It was… too chaotic,” he answered as a deep sign left his lips, “It wasn’t as easy as you may think, even an evil genius like me may get discomposed. The unbroken fire of machine guns greeted me after a short time; my only option was to run and-” 

An annoyed exhale left Arackniss’ lungs, interrupting Sir Pentious speech.

“ _Gimme a fuckin’ break…_ **_That_** is a big fuckin’ problem… it may seem to be safe now and will be fa’ some time; but they know shit -I hope- and even if, plannin takes those idiots far too much time. But it’ll keep me awake at night… fuck, am I ovathinkin’…” 

“I-I have a defense system here, nothing overly fancy, although it never failed me.”

“Oh, really? And how many times was it used?”

Letting out a soft grunt, Sir Pentious answered “None… b-but I feel confident about it.”

Arackniss began slowly to rotate his head with disapproval in his glare, making the serpent smile nervously. 

“... Even if that works, you ain’t realizn’ how notorious these fuckers are. Once they find you, they won’t give up… And so, one day they succeed... _cazzo_!“ 

Letting out a curse, Arackniss struck the table this time -afraid to put a hole in the wall- and moved away just as fast; crossing his hands behind his back.

His extraordinary stress was caused by the knowledge of how his mob treats traitors like him. Arackniss knew that his betrayal had not been discovered yet, however, the methods of tortures he witnessed -and even carried out burned deep in his memory. He saw a lot during the time he was alive as well as dead, but there are things he would rather not talk or even think about out of fear for his peace of mind. 

“We shall relax, sir.” The serpent answered while sinking onto one of the counter stools “What demon in this inferno of suffering would be oblivious enough to disturb the peace of a demon as dangerous as Sir Pentious himself!” 

Rubbing his eyes from tiredness, Arackniss took a deep breath, “ _Fuck it_ … Ya got some smokes? Could really use ‘em now, not gonna lie... We still have like fifteen minutes ‘till the meal’s ready anyway.” 

“I was never keen on such whiffy business, sir. I am terribly sorry.”

“That’s fin-Shit… hol’ up. Ya got ma’ fedora anywhere?”

“Oh umm, I reckon I do. It should be somewhere near the chair I… tied you to, sir…..I sincerely apologise for that incident, I wasn’t certain how to handle such a jittery situation.” Scratching the back of his head, Sir Pentious answered -unsure of his answer-.

“Whateva, it betta’ be there tho. Think I know the way there.” 

After a moment of searching a gasp of relief could be heard in the kitchen; making Sir Pentious raise his eyebrow in curiosity of why that hat had such a meaning to him.

Stepping into the lounge, Pent’s saw Arackniss as he adjusted his fedora to stay tightly on his lush, black hair. A sly grin played on the spider's face, as he strolled over and took a seat in the armchair. 

“I see your mood has improved, good sir. May I ask why that is? That will help in some way, right? Oh! Perhaps that topper of yours may become friends with mine!” Sir Pentious cheerfully said while settling into his arm chair and leaning against his curled up tail; facing the spider.

“Ya boutta see.” Arackniss teased back before swiftly taking his hat off and snapping it upside down as a quiet grunt let his throat, “There it is, my emergency smoke. Most important shit I carry wit’ me.”

“Huh… so be it, however I do not tolerate the nauseating smell it creates well.”

“Yeah yeah, ya got a balcony here? I need some time to relax and snap back to “life”.”

“Indeed I have. Perhaps not the biggest one, but it has a wonderful view, I assure you.”

“If there’s fresh air, I can do with whateva.”

The exhaustion, hunger and overall insecurity he felt, made the day very stressful and bleak to him. Even though the physical pain Arackniss felt earlier that day had stopped, he was still weakened and dead on his feet. 

Some fresh air could only do him good, just as it did many times before. In his filled-with-stress life, there were many situations when he simply had to nourish his tired body and mind with a cooling breeze of the night; this time wasn’t any different. 

After slowly standing up, the spider headed towards the balcony which was being pointed out; only wishing to take a deep breath and rest a bit in silence-

_Alone._

Opening the glass door he felt a light wind greeting his weary face. As the smell of chilled night air met his nares; he took a deep breath as his eyes took in the view. As his lungs welcomed another inhale, he let his gaze wander to the sky. His eyes dazed as the glare of the red pentagram danced in his sight, making him calm. He always cherished that view, finding a surprising peace of mind in its crimson glitter where others feared. 

After a moment he let the air leave his lungs, as he shut his eyes to feel only a soft breeze caress his body; even the tumultuous sounds of the Pentagram city’s crowded streets below didn’t catch his attention. A small smile pulled at the corners of his lips. 

Letting his mind fall back to the ground once more, he sauntered peacefully towards the verge. Placing his elbows on the edge he leaned against the top of it. Before putting the cigarette between his teeth, his eyes widened as he remembered that he had no lighter. Nervously peering around himself in search of any source of fire, he began patting his suit desperately. 

“ _No fire in hell, how fuckin ironinc…”_ He said under his breath before taking a deep breath. 

Closing his eyes in disappointment he peered over the edge of the balcony and rested his arms on the railing with the cigarette being held as closely as possible to his head. As he inhaled its awful yet somehow addictive smell.

_Just... fucking... great…_

After a moment, Arackniss felt his consciousness slowly fading away as his eyes began to close by themselves; at that point, nothing mattered to him. Sincerely, he had enough of this day; so much happened in the course of such a short time he only wished to truly rest. This was an odd occasion; when he didn’t mind his hunger or anxiety.

Wandering to the shores of his mind, the outside world slowly started to blend together -muffling any sound around him-; a pale light greeted his exhausted self. Being half-aware Arackniss kept the cigarette in the air.

As the darkness consumed his sight, he couldn’t clearly see his own body. Taking a glance around, his eyes met a red glow in the distance. Uncertain, he slowly headed toward that direction; stepping carefully over the darkness. 

Much to his surprise, he was quite conscious in this dream; not in control of what lied around him, but rather knowing it was just a fiction created by his mind. Nonetheless, he had no clue whether what awaited him was a nightmare or not. 

Every step he took gave out a mellow echo, bringing his mind surprising ease. 

At first, the absolute absence of any sound beyond the ones he created built up an uncomfortable atmosphere of void and isolation; something he was never fond of. Such an aura made him let go of the desire to keep a slow pace; somehow he felt anxious. 

A black mist began to coil around his feet as he got closer to the source; at that distance, he noticed that -in fact- there were two light sources that resembled a pair of wrathful eyes. Arackniss wasn’t sure whether he should walk away in fear or continue onwards from pure curiosity. 

With his body drawn to the eyes and his mind undecided, he proceeded forward. 

As the gnawing thought _‘It’s just a stupid dream, don’t ya be fuckin scared!’_ persisted for a short while in the back of his mind, his eyes narrowed in determination; he dearly wanted to overcome his fear.

As he stepped more confidently after reminding himself that it’s just a dream and that he couldn’t be hurt here. He found himself within arm's length as he ceased his stride and focused his sight on the light. After a second the eyes began glaring with lucid light and quickly grew enough to make Arackniss lift his head. Amazed by the view he stood dazed. 

A sudden flow of wind embracing his body, sending a shiver down his spine made his eyes peer out. 

With ‘ _What the fuck…’_ running through his head as he snapped his gaze back at the luminous phenomenon in front of him.

On the spur of moment, Arackniss felt his heart thrumming in his chest as the true form of what stood before him manifested itself. Six more flares now danced in his eyes, the pattern they created was all too familiar to the spider… these were his own eyes, but not as he remembered them; these were -in contrast- emitting pure hellish red energy, sending shivers down his spine as he mindlessly stared at them. Stunned and unable to comprehend what his eyes perceived he was unsure how to act.

Snapping out of his trance by the sound of flicking echoing in his ear. Near his face, he felt an unexplainable heat, as fire affectionately stroked his cheek in a loving embrace. As he mumbled some dubious words under his breath, a soft hiss met his ears. Shaking his head to enliven himself as he investigated that sound but as he did so, a flame painfully started to brush his skin.

Jumping, as his eyes unfolded from the heat; the dazed dream state was no more. What was left after -such an inconvenience- was just confusion mixed with anger; as Arackniss was hoping to get some kind of answer in the dream he had about its meaning. Now -supposedly- he will never know.

“Yer trynna fuckin burn me ‘live or what?” Arackniss snapped as sharp teeth began flashing through his raging scowl.

“I-I was just trying to lit your cigarette, s-sir”

As Pent nervously claimed; seeing his partner stressed and discouraged he felt an urge to show his support in _any_ possible way. He was just as exhausted after this day, yet somehow stress couldn’t stick to his unconcerned mind. As he noticed that his disheartened partner forgot to take a lighter with them to have their calming moment, Sir Pentious felt like it was the least he could do. However, his clumsiness wasn’t met with a positive reaction. 

“Are ya surprised I really wanna punch yer fuckin lame-brained face now?”

“Please, that wouldn’t be necessary, si-”

“Get off ma motherfuckin’ back, ya _limp dick serpent fuck, crawlin ass fuckin geezery cunt_!”

Arackniss’ fists clenched, as his month showed a series of acuminous clutched fangs. With fiery fury in his eyes, Niss was ready to let the beast inside him loose. Nevertheless, he knew it wouldn’t be worth it by any means; they are partners after all. Seeing Sir Pentious upset and scared, Arackniss let out a deep breath as he counted to ten; calming down as he did. 

The crestfallen serpent stroked his own arm as he stood in uncomfortable silence with the spider demon as he was getting a grip on his mind. Unsure neither what to say nor do. Arackniss’ words fairly tore Pent up, yet he was somewhat used to being called this way; what these words really did was densen the air around them as the whole already uncomfortable situation got even worse.

Pent felt his partner’s inner turmoil and stress. As he surely went through a lot in his life; however, Niss is the one who couldn’t perceive that he was not the only one with a rough past. Sir Pentious was not as plain and careless as Arackniss may think.

Ticked off and exasperated, Niss’ eyes peered over the balcony -staring at the empty alleyway below-, as he clicked his tongue in annoyance; wishing he hadn't shown the crude side he despised so dearly. Despite anger being his last resort, it was still hard to be fully in control; especially considering the stress scarring his heart at that moment.

Right before any of the demons were ready to break the never-ending silence, a sudden sound of beeping met their ears. Snapping both of their heads up as their bodies jolted a little in surprise. Niss let out a quick cough as he turned towards the sound source, beginning to step with a quick pace; not minding Sir Pentious the slightest.

Without any further words, Pent slithered slowly after him. Feeling discouraged and gloomy, as he made his way to the apartment, hissing under his breath as he did so. 

Despite feeling upset, he knew there is no blame to be put on his partner, as such long and exhausting days lead to impatience and nervousness; therefore, he didn’t mind the insults that left the spider’s throat. Yet, somehow he wished to be apologised to.

Blindly stepping forward, Niss unconsciously allows the remains of his empathy to flood his mind; making him regret his own words. However, just as fast as the emotion struck his mind, they left him empty. After all, Niss closed his emotions off to make it easier on himself at times; just as he kept doing it almost his whole life. 

Snorting ignorantly, he approached the oven. Opening it ever so slightly.

“At last, this fuckin lame-ass shit’s ready, and fuckin hell, am I glad it is. Let’s just chow this down and fa the love of fuck end this bloody day...”

As the hot air met Arackniss’ face, his head went into a haze at the smell. Seeing the cheese being perfectly scorched on top, he took another deep breath; his senses being greeted by the delicious smell of the freshly cooked dish put a small smile crept upon his lips. 

In fact, despite his claims, he believed they did a fine job. After approaching Arackniss from behind, Sir Pentious peeked over his partner's shoulder to take a closer look at the dish. Accidentally laying his palm on the spider's shoulder as he tried to taste it with his senses; just to be greeted with an angry growl before Niss yanked his shoulder away from the hand. 

After grabbing a nearby cloth, Arackniss removes the glass dish from the oven. Placing it carefully on the kitchen’s island. 

Sir Pentious tried once more and flicked his forked tongue out to taste the air around him, his eyes widened a fraction. Feeling the aroma dancing blissfully on his tongue, he lets a gasp take over his lungs.

“Ah! It’s sensational, sir!” Sir Pentious cheerfully claimed before approaching the cupboard. Gently grabbing a set of cutlery. 

“This shit? Ya said ya eat in restaurants, how da fuck can ya think _this_ is even close to a well-made dish? Fuck nah, my damn _nonnina_ would roll ova in ‘er grave if she saw this!” 

“My good sir, my sense of smell is indisputable! So please, refrain from exaggerating.” the serpent confidently claimed as he gently placed the cutlery on the table, “I’m quite certain none of us will be disappointed.”

“Wow, ya some fuckin gourmet now? Jesus fuck… Aight, let’s just… bloody eat, ok? I’m fuckin done with this day…” Arackniss said as he took a breath searching through the cupboards in search of some plates. 

As Sir Pentious noticed his partners annoyed face upon failing to locate the plates, he cleared his throat “You can find all the plates in-”

At that moment, Arackniss clenched his fist before snapping, “Did I fuckin ask fa ya bloody help, ya damn repti-” 

Stopping mid-speech, the spider took a deep breath. With his fingers intertwined together; Arackniss turned towards the snake demon. A thought of ending this day in a peaceful way made its way to his mind; frankly, he didn’t want to lose a newly made partner within a first day, while also for the sake of the atmosphere around them; he decided to play it nice.

“Listen, I know ya smart enough to realize how fuckin pissed I am today. I’m in no mood for fuckery… I’ll finish the search without your comments, and we gonna eat this damn Ziti shit... -again- without **any** comment, then I’ll head out to whereva I may sleep, and I’m gonna sleep for fucks’ sake. Are we clear on this one?”

The stunned serpent didn’t answer out of fear and simply nodded lightly. Despite Arackniss’ blazing attitude, Pent felt as if his partner’s sudden calm was a form of apology. He believed that refraining from further insulting and shouting was a sign of Niss’ remorse and an attempt to clear the air, thus, Pent’s mood had improved as well with the accepted form of apologising.

As Arackniss found the right cupboard this time, he quickly grabbed two plates -nearly throwing them on the table-; making them let out a soft clink on the surface. Untouched by the accident he nearly caused, Niss proceeded to separate the pasta; setting it on the plates. 

As he focused on that single task, few thoughts crossed his mind; much to his surprise, he was rather calm. He found some kind of joy in such a simple activity, he couldn’t understand why it is just now. Perhaps he felt comfortable in a way, knowing there is no one judging his every move and waiting for his mistake; he felt free, so to speak. Yet, he was in no mood to allow this little spark of joy see the light of day.

Watching from the side with a careful glance, Pent sat comfortably at the table, ignoring his grumpy partner’s behaviour; knowing that everyone unloads their stress in different ways.

Violently tugging out the chair, Arackniss took a seat -grabbing a fork as he did- leaning forwards before resting his head on one of his arms. Aimlessly glazing at the dish, before digging in at a weary pace. 

Sir Pentious -keeping his promise- didn't spit out a single word. Despite feeling the urge to complement the dish, Pent remained quiet; letting a cheerful smile take over his lips. 

Emptying a whole plate didn't take the spider demon long; he was starving after being kidnapped, while every moment surrounding his partner was not less exhausting. 

Arackniss was no hillbilly, yet this time he didn’t mind manners in the slightest; he just wanted to get it over and done with. With a loathing gaze, Sir Pentious tried his best not to mind -or comment- his partner’s behaviour, he proceeded with the meal as his eyes snapped out of that view.

As Niss replenished all the calories he had lost during the day, the feeling of fullness and satisfaction couldn't leave his mind or his stomach. Letting his gaze slip to the serpent; he notices Sir Pentious eyes directed at him as a warm smile played behind his fangs.

"The fuck you lookin at? Food ain't good enough so ya wanna lick ma fuckin hand again, ya wacky cunt?" Arackniss grumbled after narrowing his eyes. 

"What happened then was just an unfortunate accident, sir. Nothing more to be said…" 

What Sir Pentious did back then was frankly out of his control. Loneliness was something he found quite upsetting and hard to cope with from time to time. His egg-demons army was keeping him company and he loved them in a way, they were no aid in that. They were still just employees constantly accommodating him no matter what happened. After someone -who managed to earn such wild respect in serpent's eyes- agreed to risk and entwine their future together made Pent delighted to the point of losing hold of his own emotions.

"Pff, whateva… movin on, I know ya haven't finished ya meal yet, but I don't give a fuck, so show me ma room, I'm dead tired. Then yer free to do whateva."

"... O-of course… I owe you that after such a long day. Please-" Sir Pentious said before gently leaving the table, "-follow me. I have plenty of rooms you may ease your evil mind off"

"That's more like it, _‘sir’_ , right behind ya." 

After leaving the table, both demons strolled their way through one of the corridors. Both in uncertain moods as the air around them grew denser.

Trying to brighten the atmosphere up, the serpent began humming in low tones; only making Arackniss slightly more annoyed. Trying his best to ignore it -as he didn’t want to start an argument- Arackniss grunted lightly and continued his stride.

After the snake demon ceased his stride and let out a soft _'hmm',_ Arackniss rushed him with an annoyed grunt.

"Just show me a damn room with a fuckin bed in it, literally nothin more is required."

“I know well that even pure evil has to rest sometimes, and despite being aware of your… ‘standards’, sir, I assure you that I have so many free rooms I find it necessary to do my best in ensuring your coziness.”

Without further comment, Niss simply followed his partner after an arrogant grin took over his face. He may not be able to admit it, but despite his ego, he honestly would love to taste luxury given to him as a gift, not as a reward for his misdeeds. 

Looking around and seeing all the absurdly costly decorations filled with all the base furniture - without anyone else in sight-, it became obvious to Arackniss that the apartment they’re in used to belong to someone rather wealthy and powerful. Obviously, he couldn't care less for what happened to the previous owner, yet such stories were always interesting to him. 

Perhaps his partner is more vicious than Niss has initially anticipated.

After a short while, the serpent opened one of the doors he found fitting. Gently stopping in front of them, he pointed at the interior with his palm while bowing lightly as a sign of welcoming. 

Momentarily, Niss made his way to the dark room. Without taking the view or turning the light on, he took a stand in doors with his palm on the knob. Feeling exhausted and pissed off, he gave the serpent an empty stare as a cold goodbye. Such a day deserved to be celebrated peacefully in a soft bed, feeling the warm embrace of a quilt covering your body.

Before raising his finger, Sir Pentious cleared his throat to give his last speech and apologise for his possible intrusivity; to clear the air a bit.

"Oh! Abou-"

Interrupting Niss' speech with a resounding **_No_ ** , Arackniss slammed the doors closed before muttering under his breath, “Fuckin asshole… _lasciami dormire un po'...”_

After the last words left Arackniss’ throat in an undertone, he stumbled his way to the bed located on the other side of the room. Taking his fedora off and throwing it blindly, before he took a seat on the mattress. 

As he rubbed his eyes from tiredness, he found it hard to recall or even comprehend how much happened that single day. His life has been seemingly changed forever, and despite still having time to back off, he had no such intention; he is free now, and his heart and soul is ready to face the consequences of his decision.

As Sir Pentious felt the blow of wind striking his face after the doors were shut close, he stood in place for a while, unsure what to think of it. In the end -despite feeling down- Pent decided to leave his partner be this night; there wasn’t much he could do anyway. The only thought crossing his mind -as he slithered his way back to his unfinished meal- was that the next day will be more positive when it comes to their relationship. He had faith that things will work out in the end, feeling as if he finally chose to walk the path that leads to getting the picture of his true self.

In the meantime, the spider -taking his bloodied suit off- began his preparations to bed down and slack off. Despite many thoughts flooding his mind, he had all the faith in his and his partner’s future. They didn’t really manage to get along that day, but there is always tomorrow, and Niss was ready to face all the obstacles with his chin up. 

After laying down, he took a deep breath and closed his red eyes. With a hug of the pillow and a warm embrace of the quilt, he let his consciousness fade away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this chapter, my dear reader!  
> Please, feel free to share in the comments what you think ^^


	5. Snake Charmer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter is here ^u^  
> Didn't take me so long this time yay! Have a great time reading, my dear readers. I appreciate you all so dearly and thank you for all your positive comments, it means a lot to me. And of course, happy halloween, everyone! 🎃
> 
> Gigantic credit to my beloved, killer husband- Voluminis, he's been with me since the beginning of this fic and helps me dearly with it -and life in general- by filling my heart with love, hope and delight, not to mention his amazing editing skills <3\. I just can't thank him enough. 
> 
> Now, without further ado- chapter 5 ^u^

In the spite of a second, Sir Pentious opened his blush red eyes -slipping out of his trance as he took a deep breath- before lifting his head ever so slightly. As the pale red trails of light made their way through the curtains of his room, bathing his face a glow as a soft smile went to his lips; before gently dropping his head back on the pillow. As another breath of air indulged his lungs, he jolted in place to shake the morning weariness off that prevented his consciousness from fading away. 

Coiled in the quilt to keep the warmth, Pent looked around his room before settling his drowsy gaze on his hat peacefully sleeping by him. A small smile played on his lips as he decided to leave his adorable and precious topper snoozing in peace. 

He felt a surprising stream of delight warmly coiling around his heart. A calm and pleasant morning like this one always puts him in a fine mood, as these are rare in hell; without any screams, raining blood or ear-splitting explosions in the background.

After covering his mouth to be polite to no one but himself, an unsounded yawn left his throat; bringing a fair share of oxygen to his lungs. 

After stretching his arms above, he uncovered his body. Moving his tail to hang from the bed. With a straight spine and his lower area still resting, he placed his hands behind to push against his back as a way to release the tension left after sleep. A soft satisfying crack in his spine, made him let out a low moan. The tension was no more and he felt ready to stand up to start this day. 

Slithering to his wardrobe with a light smile dancing on his lips, he let a soft hiss leave his throat; as the hope for a joyful day flooded his mind. Approaching the closet -near its far end-, gently grabbed his cherished suit and slipped it on as a hum danced on his tongue. 

After tying his bow-tie, he made his way out of the room. Only for his gaze to glance in the fractured mirror, as a wave of nervousness traveled through his body. Ceasing his slither, he took a long look at his own reflection; as the broken shards -still holding in the frame- revealed his scaly face. Such a view was nothing particularly new, yet, the mirror itself reminded him of his past; not as bright and as promising, as it _supposedly_ is now. The way that brought him into the place he currently is, does not lack downfalls and pain; his plunge into madness -despite being held back by his warmth- is constantly progressing, and there were times it took over him.

Despite that fractured mirror being a bitter memory of Sir Pentious unloading his repressed fury and sadness, for a reason unknown even to him he didn’t get rid of it. Something tied him to those emotions and somehow he had no intention of cutting himself off of all that.

Grabbing his suit’s collar and gently loosening it, he cleared his throat and finished slithering out of the room in his calm pace.

Hearing the sound of metal clashing with the floor, he hastened his gliding to the kitchen. Thinking that his employees -the few who remained alive at least- tried to prepare breakfast for him, as they do on rare occasions. 

Trying to be as quiet as possible -not to wake his grumpy partner up- he proceeded onward before passing through the archway into the kitchen. 

“Ah, how nice of you, gentl-”  
  
Stopping his speech mid-sentence -with the words lodged in his throat-, as he realized that what he anticipated was far from the truth. Sir Pentious’ eyes widened as he took in the sight of his partner without a _proper attire_ on. Having only his pants and splint on. Niss paid no attention to the world around him; simply eating yesterday dinner’s leftovers. Making Sir Pentious both uncomfortable and captivated as he stared at his partner in an unknown emotion to him.  
  
Despite trying to look away, Sir Pentious couldn’t resist examining his partner’s body; as it may tell a lot about one’s past and this time it was also pleasing in a way. Arackniss’ chest -despite being fairly covered in dark fur- was visibly scarred in some places, showing his rough past, while also his pure fighting spirit. Nevertheless, the aspects of Niss’ body Sir Pentious paid most attention to were the shapes, and more precisely- his fairly kept muscularity. Feeling a rush of enticement after such a view, the serpent let his eyes peer over from Niss’ chest to the four arms of his. Noticing how lean with muscles they were -along with Niss’ entire appearance- Pent ceased his analysis and stood dazed as if charmed in a way.

“The fuck ya starin’ at, ya damn dimwit?” 

Noticing Arackniss staring back with a raised brow as the strange sight of his dazed partner. Still having his meal.

“... I-” Sir Pentious stuttered for a bit before answering nervously “I planned on preparing breakfast... m-may I ask why your fancy is not fully d-dressed?” 

Being relieved that his scales hid his flustered appearance -besides his flustered smile that overtook the snake demon’s lips- untouched by Pent’s behaviour, the spider demon lets a soft sigh leave his chest as he keeps his sights on the plate, as he put the fork down and leaned on the table.

“...Ma suit was kinda fuckin’ scuzzy, had ta wash it in the bathroom n’ now it’s all wet and so on, whateva’.” 

“C-could you please put something on, sir? I-It’s highly inappropriate.” the serpent answered as his voice got higher with each note.

“Inappropriate my ass, ya want me to feel like home, “sir”?” 

“How could I ‘inappropriate your-’... Oh…OH” Sir Pentious paused as he realized what Niss meant, before clearing his throat after seeing his partner turning his head at him with mocking confusion painted on it, “...Moving on, may I suggest something to slip on? I-It would be onerous to continue our chat _like this.”_

With a click of his tongue and a small wave of his hand, Niss gave a signal to Sir Pentiuous to proceed with his plan of getting him something to slip, not knowing what the serpent exactly had in mind.

As he did so, the snake demon smiled widely and snapped out of Niss’ gaze; making his way through the corridor, dazing Niss before he just shrugged in place from confusion.

After a short moment, a gasp of excitement echoed throughout the place; making Niss face-palm himself.

 _“... I can already tell, that’ll be a blast.”_ he whispered under his breath before raising his sights as the serpent returned.   
  
“Ah! Umm, I brought you the lit stuff... _bro_ !”  
  
Upon hearing those words, Arackniss released a sarcastic cough -holding his laughter back with the help of his hand- before turning over to Sir Pentious holding a yellow t-shirt. Confused -yet careless- Arackniss waved his finger in an inviting manner; giving Pent a sign to pass him the top. 

As the said shirt has been handed over to Niss’ hands, he briskly turned it over, dipping his sight into its logo.

“Umm… ‘music band’? Who da fuck made this shit up?” He asked as a frown rose onto his face -After rolling his eyes around the place with a bitter look on his lips- he clears his throat “...Fuck it, forget I eva asked, ain’t no time for bullshitsville.” 

As those words left the spider demon’s throat, he took another look at the shirt. Realizing it doesn’t have a spot for his bonus pair of arms, he didn’t hesitate and bit two holes out its sides, using his knife-edged teeth; not minding the owner’s startled expression the slightest. 

After putting the _enhanced_ shirt on, he ran his finger through his disheveled hair to adjust it. 

A quiet hiss could be heard as Pent whispered _“I liked that shirt…”_

“Hmmm...wha’ was that?”

Loosening his arms in defeat, Sir Pentious didn’t answer, and seeing his partner’s mocking grin, he no longer had an intention to do so.

“That’s what I thought, partna’. Now, we have shit to do, so shut ya scaly-ass up n’ listen.” Niss put forth as his smile faded to leave only an emotionless look, settling into his business act “It was fun n’ stuff, but it won’t be fa long if we won’t focus on our shit. Rememba’, ya fucked with da family in a very ugly way, so lemme get this straight- **you are fucked**... and as ya partna’ I’m as well, we have ta think of a plan.”

“Oh, good sir, showing our might off seems like the finest idea I recon!”

“Ye? Then, tell me: where it led ya? Cause fa now I can only see ya beaten sorry-ass, ‘ _sir mighty creata_ ’!”

“Fear not, please, hell will see my true evil nature soon enough! I-... **We** will rule this impious place! With my improved machine in the works-”

“Don’t ya get too excited now! And about that shiet in ya _basement_ : scrap it! It’s a useless crap and not worth givin’ it anotha shot!”

“Pardon? ‘Useless’? I beg to differ, sir! I assure you, my plan is flawless. You may put a question to my terrifying army if still in doubt. My powe-”

Heated with a snarl boiling in his throat, Arackniss approached his fired up partner and grabbed his collar tightly to bring the serpent's head down to his level. As Sir Pentious’ blush red eyes widened in fear and surprise, he stood dazed.

“Listen, ya stupid fuckin reptile, do ya even realize how serious this shit is? I’ve been through damn hell to get this chance of actually fightin’ back, and yer fuckin obliviousness won’t ruin it! Listen to ma’ plan, ‘cause ya plans failed and would keep fuckin failin’!”

With a growl of anger, he tightened his grip one last time before releasing the speechless serpent from his grasp.

Despite the moments of peace and relative joy he has managed to feel from the beginning of his short visit, the storm of thoughts and fear kept wreaking havoc in his mind. A hushed voice at the back of his head kept telling him to give up, as with such a partner it’s ‘impossible’ to achieve his dream of freedom along with the peace of mind or perhaps power. Even though every single cell of his body kept screaming to move _hell_ and earth and never refrain, that single muffled call couldn't be ignored so easily. Such a great deal of emotional turmoil was the cause of Niss’ mood swings, despite trying to keep his relationship with Sir Pentious amiable. 

"W-what do you propose then?" the serpent nervously asked before clearing his throat to add a pitch of innocence to his words. 

"Listen… plannin it all ain't so easy, we're literally talkin bout takin down an entire damn mob, not to mention my fuckin pops." he continued while walking in circles "We have the advantage of them knowin shit bout my betrayal and plans. With that we have an actual chance of makin a difference but… shit, what now? sure as hell ya scrappin the shit below us but what ta build from it…"

"Oh! I think I have an idea! How about an even more powerful machine?" 

"Nah, we don't need just plain power… We need something... fast… something-" He kept muttering, his tongue couldn't catch up with his thoughts "I don't fuckin know... invisible!... maybe, to help us... We gotta hit ‘em hard and fast, no witnesses-”

The way Niss trailed off with his tone as the gears started to turn; this plan would work for them hopefully.

“And I know where to hit ‘em all too fuckin’ well-”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this chapter, my dear reader!  
> Please, feel free to share in the comments what you think ^^


	6. Nitty-Fuckin-Gritty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Been a while, yes, but the time hasn't been wasted the slightest; I spend most of this month studying and reading books, many wonderful masterpieces (I mean, never thought I'll be able to read 4 whole books in a month), all outside of HH or any kind of fandom, only original stories. I really needed that tbh, and now I'm back with fresh look on things! Not to mention I finally came up with the rest of the plot!  
> As always, gigantic credit to my editor and beloved partner- Voluminis 💜
> 
> Hope you enjoy this chapter! ^u^

“W-wait...What?” 

Were the first words to leave the serpent’s throat, his tone slightly shaking after Arackniss’ lecture full of nonsense. It raised a red flag of absurdity in his head so much, he felt the need to bring his partner’s surprisingly over-excited mind back down to earth. 

After realizing what he just said to his usually-combative partner, the oh-shit-that-was-a-wrong-move impulse went through Sir Pentious’ mind. Subconsciously, making him cross his arms into a defensive position.  
  
However, much to the snake demon’s surprise, his partner paid little to no attention to those words at all and simply proceeded with his based-on-nothing plans, walking in circles as the words fell from his mouth. At that moment one could say he looked as if he already had planned out every single event of the next century. That couldn’t be further from the truth after the baloney Niss spitted out. Clearing his throat and darting his eyes around the place already assuming he’ll earn a punch to his jaw after saying what came to his mind, Pent let out a breath before he spoke louder.  
  
“I am not keen on your ideas,” the serpent rendered after a second of hesitation. 

Feeling his heart skip a beat as Arackniss stopped his pacing after hearing these words. Staring wide eyed at the serpent.  
  
“Huh? The fuck?... The fuck ya mean?” the spider demon retorted “I have it all planned out now! I fuckin’ GOT IT!” a sternly claim left his throat after Sir Pentious’ words snapping him back to reality -clenching his fists and jaw- he narrowed his eyes.  
  
After taking a deep breath to stop the shaking in his voice, Sir Pentious tightened the grasp around his arms and straightened his posture to seem more confident, despite being afraid of not being able to predict what is about to happen.  
  
“Hear me out, please…” he finally managed to say before swallowing. Shortly after, he leaned back after seeing the spider leaning forward with the gaze shooting daggers straight at him, “The plan you just presented seems to be very… captivating, yet I believe I already have a bet-...” he stopped, counting his every word “...a more considerable one, just lend an ear for a moment, please… Sir,”  
  
Arackniss took a deep breath as he loosened his fists a bit more, he made it obvious the fact he reluctantly gave the serpent time to explain himself for his ‘ _insolent’_ -at least in Niss’ eyes- interruption. But realizing that he was not alone here and that he should let his partner have a voice. One way or another they had to get along, otherwise things would take a very ugly turn. 

With crossed arms and his foot tapping from annoyance, his gaze was focused on the snake demon, who had been awaiting his attention.  
  
“Pff, yea whatever, good luck… _fucking scaly ass dolt_ ,” his lips whispered the last part, so quietly that Pent thought that he must of thought it up.  
  
With a smile dancing foully on his lips, Pent slowly slithered his way to the living room. His partner’s movements trailing behind him, he thought about the absurdity which left his throat a moment ago. He got way too juiced up upon getting a chance of telling someone his plan and having them actually listen. It was a foolish plan indeed, as he realized but the fact he had someone to listen was important to him, he appreciated that chance. His cheeks heated up from both embarrassment and gratitude, he felt a knot slowly tying around his heart. He couldn’t understand that feeling, he wasn’t sure whether he liked it or not.  
  
Reaching the living room, Pent raised his brow upon seeing Niss with head in the clouds. Unsure what to do or say, he stood confused. In a way it seemed quite charming to see such an “aggressor” standing sideways, hiding his weak smile. But the moment for day-dreaming can be postponed for later, and so, Sir Pentious snapped his fingers to get his partner’s attention.  
  
Niss’ head jolted in surprise, he let his sight fall upon the serpent. Feeling his skin heat up even more at the embarrassment.

After striking the middle of his chest to make that _odd feeling_ go away, he gave Pent a quick nod and allowed him to continue.  
  
“I see there is still a shadow of doubt casted upon your mind. Allow me to dispel such thoughts by shedding the light of my evil genius on your fancy,” the serpent’s lips turned up into a wide smile, his claw already gesturing in the air.  
  
“Ya got some nerve, ya fuckin’ dingbat! Hope it’s somethin good... _for your own damn sake._ ”  
  
Despite the odd feeling kindly coiling around his heart and the anger after having his ego severely whacked bitch-slapped , Arackniss was intrigued in a way. He knew that despite his idiocy, Sir Pentious truly was a great inventor; and what he managed to witness the day they met only confirmed that. Seeing how full of pride the serpent was, Niss rolled his eyes around the place with a small smile pulling his lips up, and allowed him to continue. He let out a sounding “c’mon...” after locking his eyes on his partner, as his mind had been grasped by Sir Pentious’ spectacle.  
  
“You are about to witness the proof of my evil flair! Behold-”  
  
As his palm wandered underneath the coffee table, the sound of clicking caused Arackniss to jolt his eyes open at its suddenness. The spider demon stood captivated as Sir Pentious expanded his hood, his initial chuckle turned into a sounding laughter, matching the lunatic ones portrayed in theaters or books. Noticing this, Arackniss let a wide grin take over his face as his eyes began glaring red; hoping to see the supposedly ominous creation or a plan hidden behind those walls.  
  
Niss’ gaze snapped to the concealed door opening in slow pace; making him clench his jaw in impatience. The light coming from the spot in the wall met his sight, his smile widening from anticipation. As he bit his bottom lip and slightly leaned his head forwards, the thought of laying his hands on some mighty and experimental weapon or… well, that was all Niss had in mind as a fancy gun nut, and who could blame him; he knew manners and rules, could always blend in and even -if it’s absolutely necessary- speak more sophisticatedly, but violence was always the thing playing first fiddle in such a place.  
  
However, just as fast the grin greeted Niss’ lips, as fast it faded away upon seeing what the serpent really had in mind by “the proof of his evil flair”. The feeling when one sets their expectations high and sees nothing alike the next moment is truly upsetting, isn’t it? That’s exactly how the spider demon felt after he laid his eyes on a few happily and carelessly toddling egg demons, Pent’s associates. As their fragile and dense fancies made their way towards their boss, Arackniss stood still with a grimace painted all over his face.  
  
“Good morning, boss!” one of four eggs delivered after their little flock reached the serpent.  
  
“Ah, good morning indeed, my dear subordinates,” Sir Pentious retorted before leaning down to them with a warm expression coating his face.  
  
As Arackniss witnessed such an interaction he had no clue whether to start rolling in the aisles or weeping in the corner, as it became obvious that those pathetic creatures were supposed to be the proof of Sir Pentious’ power he had in mind. After hiding his face in his palms, Niss took a deep breath and closed his red eyes. Taking a seat seemed like a necessity for him if he didn’t want to lose his mind, and so he did.  
  
“Now, may I ask you to explain to my dear partner,” his finger pointing in Arackniss’ direction “how I am the most evil and powerful demon this grim place has ever seen?” Sir Pentious cheered, so joyous and full of himself that said partner had already been making up plans of punching the serpent right in his dull face.  
  
“Will do, boss!” the egg marked as #2 said before clumsily saluting, making them look even more oblivious.  
  
Arackniss’ initial _relatively_ positive thinking quickly turned to something reminiscent of anger mixed with high time and disbelief, probably a few more feelings involved as well. Frankly, Niss himself couldn’t get his mind around what he actually felt at that moment. Neither could he decide what to do next, and whether to jump out of the window already or after letting Pent taste his fist -or all six of them at once-.  
  
Peering through his fingers, he noticed one of the egg demons approaching him. Releasing a deep sigh, he slowly uncovered his face. One of his arms had settled on his knee and was supporting his chin, as his expressionless face snapped to the eggling. “Is he fuckin-” a hushed question died on his lips as he decided to dig his fangs into his lips instead.  
  
As the egg demon opened their month it became obvious it wouldn’t close it any time soon, there was no point for Niss to pay even a pinch of attention. Despite his initial anger he seemed to be taking it well, yet “seemed” is the key word here. As the unfounded bragging and clearly fictional compliments kept flowing like a waterfall from the demon’s mouth, Arackniss’ annoyance kept rising. After a minute he had enough, there was no reason for him not to approach Pent and break his jaw.  
  
As a moment passed, “Enough!” left Arackniss’ throat. Setting his dagger-shooting sight on the serpent arrogantly standing aside, he shot up straight from the chair and clenched his fists.  
  
Sir Pentious widened his eyes in fear and surprise after perceiving the pure fire in his partner’s eyes, approaching him way too fast for him to react in time. As the train of fury reached its destination -not ‘deraling’ yet- Sir Pentious managed to lean back and put his hands ahead of him to protect himself in any way.  
  
“W-what is the rush? Please, refrain from any possible violence!” the serpent managed to deliver, leaning back with his eyes closed. He truly had no idea why Arackniss would react in such a way, he also had no idea that Arackniss was allergic to bullshit either. However, because of ego-based reasons he cared not whether his subordinates’ words were filled with nonsense; making him only seem more oblivious than he already was.  
  
“Give. Me. One. Fuckin. Reason why wouldn’t I smash yer mothafuckin’ jaw!... A WEAPON!” He snapped, deprived of his patience, “Ya dense madafaka! Show me some fuckin’ sciencey hardware! I ain’t givin’ no shit ‘bout ya fucking tea-talk or whateva! Ma fuckin sata’, what the fuck’s in that brain o’ yos!” His claws were now displayed and ready to strike, while his mind was all set to be very unreasonable.  
  
“Y-you want… Oh,” The serpent’s eyes went wide after he realized that the presentation he prepared wasn’t what his partner was expecting, not by any means, no matter how much Sir Pentious was satisfied with it, “You should have told me earlier!” He said before calmly taking a remote out from one of his pockets.  
  
As the beep sounded around the room, the coffee table began to lower into the floor. Just to be quickly swapped with a pedestal having a fancy, experimental cannon on its top, while walls began rotating, displaying other science-based weaponry. At that moment Niss was left speechless; astonished even yet, what overwhelmed his mind was the unreadable feeling that could only be described as “What the fuck just happened?”.  
  
“Why did you-”  
“Are you fucking for-”  
“YOU STUPID FUCKIN-” 

Pausing his words, Niss took a deep breath; pulled his face down with his palms as he calmed and tried to reason with his mind. After a moment of massaging his temples, Niss settled his eyes on the prize; literally a prize, since he went through an emotional cesspool to finally lay his hands on something that seemed to be able to satisfy his thirst for power.  
  
“Ya know... I wanted to fuckin **KILL YA!** ” Arackniss said as he finally managed to deliver an actual sentence, leaving the serpent frowned in both fear and confusion. Placing his hand on the weapon. The label saying “#13” shined in his eyes, as he’s been slowly stroking the stock, “And I still fuckin’ wanna, after the bullshiet you made me listen to, ya fuckin dipshit! But… first I need to try this baby out!!!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed this chapter, my dear reader!  
> Please, feel free to share in the comments what you think ^^


	7. Friendly Fire

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, wow. It really has been over a month, hasn't it? Whoops. Sorry about that. I know, I'm a terrible person, but the thing I can say for sure is that I plan on actually finishing the story I have in my head, and this chapter is far from the last one. Enjoy! 💖  
> Also, happy new year, everyone! Let's hope 2021 is better for us all! 🎉💕☕
> 
> As always, my dapper killer- Voluminis did a fantastic job on editing and I can't thank him enough! ^u^ 💜

“And those are?” Arackniss asked. Confusion painted his face. 

Pointing at the cardboard tablets being beared by Pent that his eyes seemed to waver on, never catching the shapes clearly. 

Not to mention fear crawling up Niss back as they went further into the street in broad daylight. Testing the weapon out in the open not to ‘lay waste to his home’ was the reason Sir Pentious wanted to do it. 

Despite all that happened the past day, Arackniss was in quite a content mood; just how he preferred. No emotion to cause him to worry.  
  
“Oh, these will be our targets for today’s test! While also, seeing *them* being blown to bits will be a satisfying show!” Sir Pentious answered as his voice seemed to go higher and higher. His eyes shining with every syllable.  
  
Placing the cardboard shapes down. Arackniss felt his heart skip a beat from both surprise and disquiet as he laid his eyes on the figures drawn on the tablets, and more precisely one of them. It was impossible for him not to instantly distinguish the colours and the shape; yes, one of the figures drawn on the cardboards was his beloved bitch-ass brother- Anthony. As the thought of pulling the trigger crossed his mind, he let a deadly grin take over his lips.

"Huh, guess it'll be just as satisfying fa’ me," 

The smile on Arackniss lips turned into a cheshire grin as he sassed, tightening his grasp around the weapon.

"Why so?" the serpent smiled silly as he teased his partner, "Do you despise cardboards?"

"Wow, you're a reeeeal fuckin jerk sometimes, ya know that?" a barely contained smile painted on his lips as he loosened the grip around the weapon.

"So it's about the ones painted on them, isn’t it. Did they manage to ruin your evil plan as well?"

"Hah, guess you could say that…" 

"To be frank, the tall one-... I can't stop thinking that he -in a way- resembles yo-"

"Don't. Finish. That." Arackniss said as his eyes turned into slits, interrupting his partner's words. The serpent’s smile dropped as his eyes suspiciously looked over his partner, before giving into a quick shrug after a moment, "... Let's just make this damn test, I wanna see what this baby can do!" 

"I ummm-... As you wish, although I must warn you about the possible… ‘unwanted scenarios’," the serpent air-quoted before scratching the back of his head "You see, I have yet to adjust the power. This will be the first field test of this wee-"

"Ye ye, listen, I’m just the guy who’ll pull the trigger, and then you can start doin’ your sciencey shiet,'' 

Niss interrupted once more as he prepared to take the first shot. The weapon -despite its size- was quite fitting in his hands, he already liked it. 

"Hold on!... Arackniss, sir," 

"...What is it this time?" Niss growled. 

Despite the lack of emotions in his voice, he was slowly getting annoyed, he just wanted to get this over and done with; so that they could go back to hiding. They may have chosen an empty street nook not to be seen too much, yet, Niss still felt like they were being observed; he just couldn't wash that feeling from his instincts. Perhaps he was just overthinking, but that never seemed to be the case.

"Because this will be the first field test in a while, the eggs _really_ wished to have a chance to take a few photographs to publish them on ummm… Oh! Voxtagram; to show all my overlord _friends_ just how _rad_ I truly am!" He said, full of himself. One of the eggs came out from behind his back with an old hellphone in their floppy hands.

"De hell? Fuck nah. No goddamn pics! Why even would ya? Ya wanna-? … And what fuckin’ friends?" The waterfall of questions left Arackniss' mouth. 

To take pictures of him and publish them in that annoying 'online world’? That was something he hadn't both predicted nor wanted. And those 'friends'? Niss had no idea what to think; on one hand Pent was most likely mumbling about some of his fantasies, and on the other if that was true… did-... did he make the right call to side wi-? No, that's not possible, Niss thought. _That’s bullshit pfft_ , is all that circled his mind. 

"Oh yea? And who are those ‘friends’ may I ask?” Niss spitted out after managing to quickly get a hold of himself from his heart stopping its beat. His words were only half serious however, he had all the right in the world to assume the serpent was talking nonsense.

“Well… They are… It is quite complicated… They just… are not aware of... it, yet...” Sir Pentious nervously answered after a few seconds of shooting his sights left to right; avoiding his partner's eyes.

Arackniss crossed his arms in content, clicking his tongue as his eyes rolled into his head. It quickly became obvious that Pent was just mumbling about some nonsense which he couldn't distinguish between real life and his wacky fantasies. But after a few seconds of adjusting his bow tie to look innocent, Pent -and obviously one of the eggs with the phone- insisted on that single picture once more. The spider demon instead of answering only began massaging his temples.  
  
“Screw it… fine. Let’s do it this way- take your shit,” Arackniss delivered as he shoved the weapon into the serpents’ arms “and let’s just get this over with. Ma fuckin’ Lucifa’...”  
  
On this day, two full days after their meeting, the old Arackniss was eventually back; the one -who despite his violent tendencies- preferred to remain calm and collected. 

The past few days he managed to lose control of the beast inside him a bit too much; he wasn't fond of it the slightest. There were many things he managed to learn in the mob, and one of them being that conceding in such trivial situations is never a disgrace. And whether he was the one pulling the trigger at that moment or not, was the very definition of a triviality.  
  
Snapping his gaze to the spider demon and then back to the weapon, Sir Pentious shrugged and adjusted it in his hands. With a short nod he thanked Niss and told the egg to take a ‘cool pic’ of him. At the same time, Arackniss decided to lean against the wall and not interfere; he saw no reason to anyway. And every moment less they spent in the broad daylight was supposed to ensure that it was worth it. 

After the quick photo session -which Arackniss couldn’t even pay a pinch of attention to- Sir Pentious let a deadly grin take over his face before taking a shot.  
  
Arackniss' eyes began to shine in anticipation, as the ray of energy started to gather at the barrel. But, before his jaw could even go slack; the barrel released a purple ray. Causing an explosion, which made his survival instinct go crazy. 

Right before the shockwave reached Niss, he crouched down, covering his head from the blast. Despite that, he hit the ground as the shockwave passed over his body. The sound echoed inside his ears, making it even harder to get a hold of himself.

Quickly realizing that the power of the weapon was set too high; at least for such a small distance.  
  
Rubbing his eyes a few moments later, he slowly stood up -shaking the dust off his suit- before coughing the dust out of his lungs. Finally taking a deep breath. Arackniss almost let a smile dance on his lips; the test may not have ended as expected, but the power itself was enough to satisfy him.  
  
After the excitement and shock of the blast left his mind, thoughts of Sir Pentious being hurt ran through his head.

His heart picked up its speed, pounding in his throat. 

“Fucker!”.  
  
Snapping within no time, Arackniss started searching the area for his mayhap-injured partner. 

With no idea on why he felt such a wave of concern going through his heart, Niss dug his fangs into his lips. Ignoring his emotions as he cut off a dangerous thought hovering over his mind.  
  
The smoke in the air hindered his search. Making him take longer than he would have liked to find him. But, when he managed to find who he was looking for, the panic in his heart seemed to settle. 

Despite no vital signs, his partner was thankfully in one piece. 

Ignoring the spike of worry that pierced his heart, Arackniss slapped the serpent’s cheek hard enough to make his own palm tingle.  
  
With no response from the slap, Arackniss raised his palm again to slap him.

Snapping his eyes open -making Niss stumble back a few feet- Sir Pentious began coughing like a mad man.  
  
Seeing Pent alive made Niss’ heart cool down to a soft beat; no longer trying to escape his throat.

Instead of showing his relief -besides the spark of joy hidin in his eyes-, Niss just rolled his eyes.  
  
“Ya danse fuckin’ two-bit, grody aimless mass o’ inanity…”  
  
“Hey! I gave warning about the possible occurrence of unwanted scenarios,” Pent said before deeply coughing, doing his suit up as he continued “This is why field tests exist, why do you aim all these insults at me?”  
  
“You almost fuckin offed yer stupid ass-” digging his fangs into his lips, Niss paused, taking a deep rbeath before he continued again “Not that I give a shit! That was just so fuckin’ dim I’m obliged to make a bloody comment.”  
  
After exchanging their sore gazes, silence overtook them.  
  
Sir Pentious tried to let his voice out twice before he managed to construct a sentence. 

“I… Huh, I blew them to oblivion, Haven’t I?!” The snake demon asked with a loose smile on his lips, attempting to change the topic to loosen the atmosphere around them with a light chuckle. “Oh my, just look! They are all around the place!”  
  
His warm laughter grew as confusion danced on Niss brows. Arackniss sighed and dropped his head. Trying to hide his slightest of smiles.

Sir Pentious noticed the smile painted on his partner’s lips, enjoying the feeling of relief knowing that their relationship was not ruined.  
  
“I believe… I owe you something for all that trouble… and for the delicious meal you prepared yesterday.” Sir Pentious rambled, trying to keep his tone gentle “While also, I reckon we still haven’t celebrated the dawn of our cooperation!”  
  
His joyous tone at the end made Arackniss feel strange inside, a feeling that seemed to just not vanish after a while. But the calm way he seemed to show that everything was alright somehow gave him a sense of peace.  
  
“Where ya goin’ wit that?”  
  
“Well... those were harsh two days, weren’t they? I... am in possession of a bottle of one of the finest bourbons in hell! It is concealed in the home of mi-... **ours** ,” he corrected himself “So, why don’t we hotfoot it there and celebrate as two gentlemen like us should!”  
  
Each word leaving the snake demon’s throat made Arackniss more and more captivated; perhaps his expressionless face gave no proof of that, but his tapping foot was a different story.  
  
On top of all that however, stood confusion. Why did someone who -upon their first meeting- seemed to be a yielding and silly soul, now was the one dealing the cards and with such kindness? Niss couldn’t find a reasonable answer, all he knew was that somehow it made his heart softer and weaker, but at the same time… upbeat? That made no sense for him, Sir Pentious was now… confident? The spider demon couldn’t get his mind around that. Even on why his heart was pounding so loudly.  
  
Throwing those thoughts and feelings plaguing his mind, simply nodding along with Sir Pentious idea of a drink.  
  
“Pf, you **_do_** owe me afta’ the shit ya pulled off,” He said without a pitch of care in his voice “Well, it’s gettin kinda late anyway... hope that hooch’s as good as ya say.”


End file.
